


I am busy, Jim

by TFALokiwriter



Series: The Neferit II Duology [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Captain - Freeform, Determination, Enterprise, Enterprise Family, Enterprise at her best, Extended Family, Feels, Flashbacks, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Klingons, Loss, M/M, Older Characters, Revenge, Romulan problems, Romulans, Sad, Starship - Freeform, USS Yorktown, Vulcans, chulu - Freeform, history being made, questionable medical science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-02 19:59:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 38,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6580285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The consequences of Leonard having memories of another universe where his other self and other Spock shared a long, epic friendship. </p><p>Started: 4/17/2016</p><p>Completed: 4/25/2016 at 12:30 PM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I am busy, Jim

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Neferit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neferit/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Simple Feeling](https://archiveofourown.org/works/773992) by [Neferit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neferit/pseuds/Neferit). 



> Leonard's version of events that lead up to _The Jim who came back_ to the end.
> 
> * * *
> 
> This is a long story. You have been warned.
> 
> * * *
> 
> I did say I wouldn't make this storyline but just talking about it to Neferit on the comment section got me thinking.

There was a party occurring in the rec room. One day before the _Enterprise_ arrived to Starbase 1. Leonard had decided to take charge of his fate and the future. He was well aware of the risks that followed his devoted mission: death, potential loss of limbs, loss of people he cared about, and being practically busy most of the time. Keeping most of the _Enterprise_ family out of the loop. Leonard accepted that. So for now Leonard was enjoying what would be the unbusy period in his life.

"Where are you going, Bones?" Jim asked.

"I am acceptin' promotion," Leonard said. "Captainin' the _USS Yorktown_."

Jim nearly spat out what he was drinking.

"You? Commanding a starship?" Jim said, in disbelief. "I am sorry, I just never imagined you as that kind of doctor willing to command a starship. You frankly don't like commanding the _Enterprise_."

Leonard took a sip of his bourbon with a sly grin.

"Thin's change," Leonard said, lowering the glass. "What about you?"

"Accepting the admiralcy offer," Jim said. "Spock is going be a instructor at the academy."

"I knew he had it in him." Leonard said.

"Uhura is transferring to a science vessel as the head communication's officer," Jim went on. "Sulu and Chekov are accepting promotions and going to different ships. Scotty is going to be part of the engineers who refit the _Enterprise_." Jim watched Uhura dancing slowly dancing with the Scotsman on the dance floor.  The two were having fun. "Chapel and M'Benga are going to medical starships."

"Cheers to them." Leonard said, taking a sip.

Jim looked over toward Leonard with a sad expression.

"Five years goes by fast." Jim mused.

"Sure did." Leonard said.

"Didn't we just get on this starship?" Jim asked.

Leonard looked over to the younger men.

"It feels like only yesterday that Vulcan was in grave danger to you," Leonard said. "To me it feels just yesterday I was chewin' you out for datin' Galia and flirtin' with Uhura who already had a boyfriend." Leonard lowered the cup to the table. "Youn', reckless, unexperienced, and fresh. Now look how you turned out, Jim." Leonard had his elbows on the table looking at the captain quite fondly. "You are not even that reckless anymore."

Jim nodded back with a smile.

 "To the future." Jim said, holding his glass up.

"To a never-so-dull future." Leonard said, picking up his glass.

Their cups clank together and they shared a drink. One of the nurses came over to where Leonard sat and insisted that he dance with them. Leonard repeatedly declined but he found himself enjoying the party not long afterwards. Chekov was the rapper of the party mixing songs with a disk on a old styled 21st century device. Disks were not used as much as they were back in the day because these were huge. Jim clapped his hands with a delighted laugh. It became obvious that Jim had arranged this dance.

But for now Leonard would have fun.

* * *

 Leonard was in the empty Med Bay with his arms folded. He was going through his own personal memories of this universe serving in this med bay. Patching up his patients who were namely (and most of the time) Jim and Spock, the nurses taking care of the other officers, and having surgeries. From the dark med bay he was imaging it brighter. He imagined playing cards with the original Jim and winning almost every time which Leonard complained was unfair and that Jim should be winning. Jim would snicker, deliberately letting the older man win, then holler over to Spock who was on the biobed from across appearing not amused by the turn of events that brought them here.

Leonard went through the memory of treating Nurse Chapel for phaser burns on the biobed across from him to the right.

_"I am quite fine,Doctor McCoy." Chapel said._

_Leonard looked up with a frown._

_"Your hand says otherwise." Leonard said._

_Nurse Chapel sheepishly smiled._

_"It was an accident." Chapel said._

_Leonard narrowed his eyes at her._

_"Accidents come with both hands not just one," Leonard said.  "Who the hell has phaser-touching-orietus?"_

_Chapel looked over toward a male co-worker._

_"LIEUTENANT JACK O'NEILL,WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NOT IN QUARANTINE?"  Leonard shouted._

_O'Neill had a 'Oh crap' look on his face then skedaddled_.

Leonard recalled using the bone-knitting laser fix Scotty's injury on the biobed across from him against the wall to the left. 

_"And then the panel exploded!" Scotty finished.  
_

_Leonard appeared as though he didn't believe him._

_"Don't give me that crap, Scotty," Leonard said. "If it exploded in the way of your hand then your entire arm would need this," He shook the device. "And you are  not quite shivering in pain with that arm."_

_"Keenser dropped his gameboy into the engines." Scotty said, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand._

_Leonard had a look of disbelief._

_"All for a gameboy?" Leonard said._

_". . . Why yes." Scotty said._

_"Keenser should play with his gameboy away from the engines."  Leonard said._

_"That is what I said!" Scotty declared._

And then there was this time that Uhura came in pregnant by a parasite. Leonard looked over toward the biobed across from him.

_"Doctor!" Uhura's hand was being held by Scotty and dear god she was squeezing. "I NEED ASSISTANCE--OH MY GOD!" The biobed was wet and she looked terrified. "IT'S COMINGITS'COMINGIT'SCOMING.IT'SCOMING, I AM HAVING THE DEVIL'S BABY!"_

_"YOU'RE NOT HAVIN' THE DEVIL'S BABY!" Leonard shouted back. "DAMN IT, JIM," Then he muttered to himself, "Why must you make these suggestions to women who get randomly pregnant by unworldly bein's?" He looked over in the direction of a approaching Chapel. "NURSE CHAPEL!"_

_Chapel came over seeing what was about to commence then gathered what equipment would be needed including a baby container of the sorts. She then vanished behind the curtain that was pulled forward as Uhura's legs were spread out. Scotty was whining mostly in pain with  Keenser right across from him keeping his cool almost as though he hadn't been harmed._

Then there was this time that Sulu was infected by a plant.

" _Doctor?" Sulu asked, concerned._

_"It seems. . . You are becoming a plant." Leonard said._

_"I love plants, but I do not want to become one." Sulu said._

_"I estimate in perhaps thirteen hours your legs will become roots. . . Unless we get the thin' that bite you. Mr Spock and the captain are currently back down there with security officers to get the thin'," Leonard scanned the man's legs that were getting small thorns. His toes were exposed and becoming larger. His status of condition was brought to Leonard's attention after Chekov discovered a unpleasant surprise when he was making out with Sulu and frankly it terrified the twenty-one year old Russian. "And you won't die becomin' a plant. Not on this ship."_

_Sulu was still worried._

_"Is Pavel still speaking with the counselor?" Sulu asked._

_"Been in there for two hours for all I heard," Leonard said. "A man just does not get over what he went through."_

_Sulu closed his eyes, shuddering._

_"Understandable." Sulu said._

_That was apparently the day that Chekov broke up with Sulu. Scarred in the brain of the traumatizing event that had unfolded between the two of them. Apparently after that day Chekov lost all will to have sex with another man. Leonard could not blame the young man. Seeing the damage that had been done and first hand fixing it in a private medical quarters with Chekov on the biobed surrounded by nurses, it was a very uncomfortable day.  Sulu and Chekov were close, but, after that day they degraded down to friends. Which was the best for the two of them under a agreement._

_It saddened Leonard what happened to the young men._

_Such a sad day._

Leonard looked over to his right to the biobed near him.

_"Doctor. . . I am scared." Chekov was nineteen in this memory looking up toward the doctor with  a scared expression._

_It didn't help no one could see what was going behind the curtain._

_"It is all right to be scared," Leonard said. "You have nanotechnology inside of you."_

_"What if it makes me not a Russian once it is done?" Chekov asked._

" _If it does," Leonard said. "We will politely ask that they undo what they had done to you. The captain is speakin' with the Naon Representatives."_

_"Doctor," Chekov said. "If I am changed beyond help. . . I rather be vaporized than be something that is not Russian!"_

_The kid had guts, that Leonard could credit him._

_"Well, I won't do it," Leonard said. "You have to get someone who would be willin' to do that."_

_"Hikaru?" Chekov asked._

_Leonard nodded._

_"That could be a good idea," Leonard said. "But it will hurt him like it will hurt the rest of us when you are gone."_

_Chekov nodded._

_"I understand," Chekov said. "I rather be me, a sapient living Russian, not a lifeform being manipulated by nanotechnology."_

The brightened memory faded before Leonard's eyes into obscurity.

"Doctor," Spock said. "Your shuttle is awaiting."

"You know," Leonard said. "I am goin' to miss this."

"Miss what?" Spock said.

"Here." Leonard said.

"The _Enterprise_ . . ."  Spock said. "I understand knowledge from another universe has affected your decision of your fate."

"Our fate," Leonard said. "And I can't recant what I told Star Fleet. Once you say yes to Star Fleet's offers, you know that as well as I do there is no turning back."

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"My fate cannot be intertwined with yours," Spock said, almost in denial. "You are not my _T'hy'la_."

"And I will be sure that never happens." Leonard mumbled.

"Indeed." Spock said.

"Don't tell me, Jim told you about my decision." Leonard said.

"I only wish you the best of fortune commanding a starship," Spock said. "You are a very capable man, Doctor McCoy."

Leonard looked over toward the Vulcan.

"When are you ever goin' to call me Bones?" Leonard asked.

"That is not your name." Spock said.

"But it is my nickname," Leonard said. "Reserved for those I call my friends," The doctor turned his head in the direction of the empty med bay. "You are  . . . a acquaintance, Mr Spock," He shared a brief glance over toward the Vulcan. "A very good one in fact."

"I see." Spock said.

"Can you promise me somethin', Mr Spock?" Leonard asked.

"Promises are made to be broken." Spock said.

"Yes, that they are," Leonard said, turning completely in the direction of Spock with intent in his eyes and his arms unfolded laid to his side. "Promise me that you will not screw up and make this Jim run away. Just like he  did to your original counterpart. I can't handle it if we get another Jim. Two Jim's is enough. Three Jim's would be sheer madness and illogical, you know it too, I know you love him (which I am surprised because in the beginnin' love wasn't in your vocabulary). I know you are bound to say somethin' wrong but don't say it so that Jim seeks out another you. And  I would hate for you to die because your bond severs because HE LEFT THIS UNIVERSE. Don't make the other you's mistake. You got that? Because if you do . . .  I won't be as lenient as my counterpart."

Spock bowed his head.

"I give my word." Spock said.

Leonard was comforted by that.

"Live long and prosper, Mr Spock." Leonard said, holding his hand up in the Vulcan salute.

"Live long and prosper, Bones."  Spock said, reciprocating the ta'al.

Leonard had a smile at the Vulcan then he departed med bay leaving Spock alone. Spock had his arms behind his back. The Vulcan lowered his head briefly closing his eyes then he reopened them to see med bay was brightened and swarming with life as it did usually. Nurses were treating the injured from a incident in engineering that left most of the officers with second degree burns and some non-burn related injuries being Scotty among them. He could imagine that some of the bridge officers were there suffering burns from electrical problems that had pained them too. Some of them were complaining. Jim sat on the biobed rolled an eye at Chekov's comment that "Konsoles were made in Russia!". One by one they all had faded but Leonard was the first of the crew to vanish leaving the Vulcan standing there in the dark.

Spock turned around then he headed toward the doors.

The doors closed behind the Vulcan leaving a pitch black med bay.

And the extended family was splitting apart that day.

* * *

The _USS Yorktown_ was relatively the same size of the _Enterprise_ from the outsiders perspective.

It had recently come off the assembly line, right off the planet Mars, floating in spacedock. Leonard opted to be shuttled to the starship. It had been two months since he had been in space. He decided to spend time with his daughter Joanna on Earth. His belongings were beamed aboard and taken into his quarters before his arrival. When he saw the starship, Leonard's jaw fell when he saw the saucer section. It appeared that Star Fleet had taken the liberty to distinguish the _Yorktown_ by adding apparently cup like holders to both sides being wide with blue light radiating underneath them.

"Doesn't he look pretty?" Commander Willard Decker asked.

However there was this unspoken comment " _Nothing like the Enterprise._ " lingering between the two.

"He looks weird with those cup holders." Leonard said.

Decker looked over in the direction of Leonard with a smile on his face, amused, in fact.

"I take it you haven't heard." Decker said.

"Heard what?" Leonard asked.

"How long we are assigned to this young man." Decker said.

"I. . . don't know." Leonard said.

"Two years in deep space." Decker said.

It was odd how Decker referred to the _Yorktown_ as a he. Odd and unique. Most of the time most forms of transport and for military purposes back in the day were referred to as shes. Leonard had a baffled expression about his face but more so bewildered. Two years? That was incredibly short. Shorter than the previous time Leonard spent in space on one ship.

"As first officer of the _Yorktown_ ," Leonard said. "I hope you are prepared for things more weirder than the handles."

"Captain," Decker said. "I love weird things."

"Do you collect weird things?" Leonard asked.

"I broke the Guinness galaxy record twice for collecting the most rudimentary rock and sculpting them into marvelous sculptures," Decker said. "I made a water fountain connected to a bathtub that has a cleaning system. Used to sculpt a lot before I went into the academy. Have you heard of counselor Lieutenant Llia? She is a empath."

"I was not aware we were gettin' a counselor." Leonard said.

"Deltan."  Decker said.

"And you know her." Leonard said, looking over toward the blonde.

"We used to have a thing." Decker said.

"Don't let that 'thin' get in your duties, Decker," Leonard said. "Is that clear? I rather have a officer who has not gotten his head in his ass."

"Yes, captain." Decker said.

The shuttle landed into shuttle bay. The shuttle parked itself into one of the designated parking lots then the side lowered down letting the few assigned officers to the starship board off. Among them were the chief engineer Lieutenant Commander Gene Roddenberry. He was sitting down chatting with Communications officer Lieutenant Jerry Sienfield about how perfect it is to serve with the former CMO of the _Enterprise_. Roddenberry was excited. Lieutenant Penny Neferit,the navigator of the _Yorktown_ , was sitting alongside security officer Ensign John Tree. John was a a black male with a visible scar on the side of his face.

Leonard was glad that he was not the only one who preferred to be shuttled to the starship.

Leonard was among the first to walk out of the shuttle, down the platform and observed his surroundings. The surroundings that he could rarely come into the next two years. Sure he had read the files who he considered the most significant people who he would be working alongside on this starship but not everyone's file did he read. Shuttle Bay was partially dark but genuinely well lit. If Jim were here the man would all ready be falling right over, hands out reached, and land straight on his chest with a thud. True, Jim was clumsy. Frankly it applied to all Jim's in the multiverse. Leonard had a small smile at the so-true thought.

Since the incident at the Guardian of Forever, Spock Prime and Leonard would compare their experiences and bond over several, several, several things that they had not been able to before. Frankly, Leonard enjoyed talking with the old Vulcan. Leonard knew how red matter was made, how to use it, and how to distribute it. He had seen Spock first hand use it in the memories saving Romulus. How the Vulcan, upon looking at his supposed destiny, felt fear and concern that he would fail just like his counterpart. How Spock became eerily calm with the _Enterprise E_ a good distance away monitoring his mission even under the chance of his death or starting a time loop with Nero.  How the Jellyfish flew in the direction of the sun. How Spock thought about those he lost and those he had failed.  Lying to his remaining friends that his father had, in fact, let his katra be taken to the new hall of great thoughts. Sarek, instead, had opted to see if there was a afterlife. The one so many humans believed in. Sarek had hoped that Amanda was there waiting for him. And Spock's supposedly final thought to the doctor believing it could fail: _forgive me, Leonard_. The sigh of relief the Vulcan had after saving the planet Romulus.  Leonard decided not to tell Spock Prime about that.

His quarters  was room 127 on floor 3 on Deck 9's second section.

The doors to the corridors of the _Yorktown_ opened. Leonard walked on into the hall. The side floorboards highlighted the corridors with their radiating blue hue. The _Yorktown_ felt like a third home. McCoy's eyes had adjusted to the scenery after being shuttled to the starship. It was a constitution class based starship, they said, you should know your way around. Leonard hoped that the locations of med bay were where they needed to be, the holodeck room, the gymnastic,and so on. Leonard wanted to visit the bridge first before checking on his belongings to be sure they were in his assigned quarters. Neferit shortly joined alongside the captain in the turbo lift.

"Hello," Neferit said. "It is a honor to be under your command, captain."

"Bridge." Leonard said.

The turbo lift ascended up.  Leonard looked over to see Neferit had a fair resemblance to the one he had seen in the memories minus the red hair. Leonard seemed to recognize her from the file he had read on her padd. In two generations Alice was likely to be born. Penny looked so young. She was a twenty-three year old. Fresh out of the academy, as well. The youthness she had reminded Leonard of Chekov when the young Russian first embarked into outer space. In fact all these kids reminded him of how young everyone was twelve some years ago.

"Ah, you are the navigator," Leonard said. "I read on your file you were part of a scoutin' mission that went wrong."

"It was an accident,"  Neferit said, sounding fairly sad about it. "If there was something I could have done then I would have done it."

"If it happened to this ship?" Leonard said.

Neferit turned her head in the direction of Leonard.

"History will not repeat itself on this ship, captain." Neferit said.

"Touchin'," Leonard said. "That is comfortin'."

Neferit turned her head away from the captain.

"You spent ten years in space," Neferit said. "I heard you had xenopolycythemia last year. I am curious."

"My work here is not done yet," Leonard said. "Not even close. I just started it."

"That is oddly surprising for a man who despises transporters." Neferit said.

"You never know the day our atoms be scattered across the quadrant and unable to be put back together could become reality," Leonard said. "For that. . . . every time I use the damn thin' I brace myself." He looked over in the direction of Neferit. "Not that I hate them. I just have very good reason to fear them."

"Why?" Neferit said.

"I lost a nurse in the transporter," Leonard said. "Lieutenant Jack O'Neill. He never materialized from a mission. Only a bloody mass of skin, bone, and organs . . ."

"I am so sorry." Neferit said.

"Not a pretty sight," Leonard said. "I just hope it does not happen again on my watch."

The turbo lift doors opened before the two star fleet officers. Leonard and Neferit walked out of the turbo lift onto the bridge that was well lit and not that bright. Compared to the Enterprise Bridge this one was fairer. The intensity of the light was normal  and comfortable for the typical eye. Leonard walked right over to the familiar chair. One that used to be sat on by James T. Kirk. It felt so surreal to Leonard that he was the captain. He never sat in the captain's chair full time. Neferit sat down at the navigator station then tapped the screen to life.

Leonard sat down into the chair.

It felt so unreal.

Now it occurred to Leonard that this was really happening.

For better or for worse: he was on for a long, wild ride. The helmsmen of the _Yorktown_ was Lieutenant Anne Garcia from Mexico. Leonard could see there were stations around him some of which were science, communications, engineering, and security to name a few. Now sitting here in the middle of attention it came to Leonard. So this is how it must feel to be in the captain's chair. Everyone looks toward you, expects the best or the worst out of you, and at least looks up to you. Over-expectancy. Jim handled the role smoothly. So smoothly in fact that Leonard often times wondered what was on Jim's mind when he did what he did: falling for women, being reckless, nearly destroying a diplomatic process, and so on. But that recklessness softened over the first five years into a thirty year old man more different who gradually changed over five years into a great man. Ten years in space? That helped Jim become the man Nero had referred to as 'the greatest man of his time' with his friends by his side.

Spock,Leonard, Uhura, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu,and Pike had a hand in shaping Jim.

But it was the missions that did all the hard work instigating the character growth.

* * *

Leonard's _first_ science officer was a Vulcan. Lieutenant Xon (though it was emphasized it be pronounced Zahn in the file), a Vulcan male with a interesting and odd name. He was fresh out of the academy. A prominent teacher and scientist. Some of his  co-workers had left notes regarding his character: fascinated with humanity. And very comfortable to work with. Leonard had raised an eyebrow at that part.  A Vulcan fascinated with humanity? That was quite unusual. The way it sounded made it seem to Leonard that he was getting a thirty-five year old Vulcan with quirks.

But boy was he surprised when instead a twenty-two year old Vulcan appeared on the transporter pad clad in Star Fleet uniform. He had brown curly hair and light blue eyes. Leonard's eyebrows shot up at the sight of the young man. Xon had a stoic expression. Xon's eyes were showing curiosity.

"Hello," Xon said, doing the Vulcan salute with his other hand wrapped around the luggage handle. "I am Lieutenant Xon. Your first Science Officer. Permission to come aboard."

"Permission granted," Leonard said, as his eyebrows lowered. "You are quite . . . young to be a teacher."

"I have been told I am genius," Xon said. "I prefer to be called not."

"Why?" Leonard asked.

"Humans seem to find it threatening to work with someone with a higher intellect than them," Xon said. "I do not want that in my time here."

Leonard smiled.

"We are goin' to get along just fine, Mr Xon." Leonard said.

Xon stepped off the transporter pad.

* * *

"Hello Geoffrey, how's your new med bay?" Leonard asked.

"Not the same as it was on the Enterprise," M'Benga said. "But. . ."

"Buut?" Leonard asked.

"We get a influx of patients here more often," M'Benga said. "Is it me or are these officers these days just more reckless?"

"It is not just you," Leonard said, with a good laugh. "Perhaps you are just pickin' up the side effects of being on a medical starship."

"We did find a lot of Vulcan Refugees hiding out with Romulans earlier," M'Benga said. "The  Vulcans refused to leave without the Romulans. They were not in good condition."

"The Vulcans?" Leonard asked.

"As were the Romulans." M'Benga said.

"Both?" Leonard asked, curiously.

"Apparently there was a attack on the two of them when they were returning to Federation space. It took them twenty-three years to get back to Star Fleet. Their families, all dead, but the two crews were remarkably still alive." Leonard raised an eyebrow. "And they started anew."

"Romulans and Vulcans mixin' together?" Leonard asked.

"Much as I am startled to hear it and see it for myself," M'Benga said. "They did. One thousand of them, respectively, one two battered ships."

"Paranoid Romulans," Leonard said. "What is next?" He cupped the side of his head. "Paranoid Klingons?"

M'Benga laughed, all too heartily, until he fell over off the chair.n

* * *

Mostly because  Leonard was so comfortable and relaxed serving with Xon, he did not insult him as much as he insulted Spock (reason why is because if you are on a mission like Leonard was, you wouldn't want to make enemies along the way with those under your command). Though Xon felt that Leonard wanted to say something but he kept it back. One day he decided to confront the captain.

"Captain." Xon said, as they ducked gun fire.

"Yes?" Leonard said.

"I feel as though you are avoiding to tell me something." Xon said.

"Like what?" Leonard asked.

"It seems you have more on your mind to speak with me about when you finish the conversation but you never do." Xon said.

Leonard looked at Xon in disbelief.

"Xon, this is no time for a chit-chat like this sort of thin'!" Leonard said.

"Yes, there is." Xon said, calmly.

Suddenly Xon is sent falling back to the ground grasping at his arm. Decker, at this time, was in enemy hands. Two security officers were dead. Doctor Bryan Stone was in enemy hands as well. Leonard's eyes widened watching the Vulcan fall back to the grass. Leonard fired back at the enemy fire then he took the Vulcan's by the shirt collar and dragged him away into the woods feeling sweat beat down his skin. Their communicators were currently malfunctioning and unable to work for the time being. He managed to find a cave nearby and went in with the Vulcan. He propped the Vulcan against the wall. Damn, he should be a doctor not a captain so he could help this man. Leonard could be a doctor by getting some natural tools.

Leonard took a long vine with plenty of leafs sticking from the side.

"Shirt: off."   Leonard said.

"Captain--" Xon was interrupted by Leonard.

"I am your doctor right now, so listen to me, because I have better experience gettin' a bullet out than you dyin' on my watch." Leonard cut him off.

Xon painfully got his two pairs of shirt off: his uniform,and dark standard procedural attire. Leonard had taken two long tooth picks from the forest floor and got a another vine then pried off the leaves. This was not sanitary but it had to be done. The Vulcan lay still as the doctor used the bullet injury. He noticed that Xon had been fired at earlier due to the injury in the location where his ribs should be.

"Please say what is on your mind, captain." Xon said as Leonard's face grew a heated red.

"YOU DAMN WALKIN' COMPUTER GREEN BLOODED POINTED HOBGOBLIN, HOW LON' HAVE YOU BEEN BLEEDIN'? YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME EARLIER THAT YOU WERE SHOT ON OUR ESCAPE WITH DECKER!" A trio of birds flew from their hiding spot. "YOU NOW RISK YOURSELF TO INFECTION! IF I WERE STILL A DOCTOR YOU WOULD BE GROUNDED FROM DUTY FOR AT LEAST TWO DAYS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE A INFECTION IN THAT BODY OF YOURS."

"Captain, there is no need to compare me to a computer," Xon said, calmly. "I felt that my injury was none of your concern as Doctor Stone could take care of it afterwards upon our return to the ship." Xon winced as Leonard pried the bullet out. Leonard was surprised to hear a Vulcan say the word 'felt'. "My blood may be green but as long as I am in the presence of humans it is red for all I am concerned."

Leonard used the thin strands from the vine to stitch the injury up.

"You are surprisingly un-Vulcan today, Xon." Leonard said.

"If I were to serve with humans then I must be on their level," Xon had replied. "Thank you for the compliment, captain."

"Call me Bones will you?" Leonard said.

"When off duty." Xon said.

"Cold day in hell then." Leonard said.

"No, I mean, when I am off duty." Xon said.

". . . . You believe in shore leave?" Leonard said.

"Affirmative." Xon said.

"You are one strange Vulcan," Leonard said. "That is the best treatment I can give you with these twigs and vines. I run the risk of infection of doin' the same bullet removal to your rib cage without the medical treatment." He paused, applying pressure to the injury on Xon's chest. Xon took the squashed vine pressed against his chest from the captain's trembling hands. "You know what, I will get Decker on my own."

Leonard started to get up but Xon took his forearm.

"Captain, you could get yourself killed." Xon said.

"I run the risk every day," Leonard said. "And so do you. Keep tryin' to make contact."

"And if you do not come back?" Xon asked.

"Go without me." Leonard said, as Xon let go of the captain's arm.

Xon nodded.

"Affirmative." Xon said.

Leonard left the cave. Xon closed his eyes and prepared his healing trance, but as he did, Leonard blocked the way to the cave using a supply of large fallen tree branches, huge leaves, and left enough space for the Vulcan to have oxygen. The captain was not sure if they would come out of this alive. He ran the risk of being killed just to get his first officer. It was worth the risk.

Apparently Xon was the one who rescued the two of them in the end.

And earned a promotion to Lieutenant Commander.

* * *

"TAKE MY HAND!" Leonard shouted, his hand out reached toward the children.

"Captain!" Decker shouted, being held by the Vulcan. "Let me go, overgrown reptile,we have to help him!"

"If we attempt to help then one of us will step on his hands and he will fall," Xon said. "I suspect you do not want that."

"But what he is doing is illogical," Decker said. "There is nothing there!"

Xon stared back at Decker.

"There are children." Xon said.

A small hand took Leonard's hand as the kids had wrapped around the first child. Leonard looked up in the direction of the oncoming boulders and had to do quick thinking. What would Jim do? Fall, take out his communicator, and request a immediate beam up.  No! By that time they would have splattered to the ground with cracked open skulls, fractures, and not a pretty sight. Leonard saw the ground moving chipping away across. Leonard looked up in the direction of a unshaken location where Xon and Decker stood.

"Catch them!" Leonard shouted, with immense strength he tossed the three children after the two men.

 Decker could now see them, they were Andorians and they headed his way! Leonard's grasp on the ledge went slack and then he let go.  He caught two of the children landing onto his back  on the floor. Xon caught the third one without falling down. The Vulcan took his communicator out and requested a immediate beam out of five people. In golden circles Xon watched Leonard disappear in to thin air.

"Captain!" Xon shouted, looking over in horror.

Xon  appeared on the transporter pad, virtually heartbroken, and Decker furious. The children got off the transporter pad. Stone had came into the transporter room with Nurse Mayberry by his side and they started to scan the children to ensure they were all right when the unthinkable happened.

"You bastard!" Decker lunged at Xon.

Xon dodged Decker's move then delivered a Vulcan Nerve Pinch catching him into his arms.

"I grieve with thee." Xon's words sounded forced.

* * *

Xon sat in his quarters, his door was locked, his head lowered sitting on the edge of his bed.

"I should have gone against logic." Xon said.

Xon's hands were trembling.

For starters, he could request transfer, resign his commission, or meditate so deeply that it could provoke his Pon Farr. The Vulcan sat down onto the meditation mat.  Xon closed his eyes with guilt heavily on his mind. The Vulcan controlled his breathing. Searched deeper and deeper until he could begin the process of making his own blood boil. He could sense someone and hear someone enter his quarters without permission. It was a familiar presence.

"Meditatin' all ready?" It was Leonard. "And I thought someone like you would be attemptin' to explain my disapperence."

The Vulcan was troubled.

"I can't blame you for clearin' your mind," Leonard said. "No, I am not dead." He was unable to move due to the shock circulating through his Vulcan system. "I am just sendin' myself a projection to you because you are apparently the most capable psychically to hear me. I fell into what the children were in but. . . it transported me somewhere. This planet has dinosaurs and monkeys livin' together. It is called Dino-Ape-ia. I mean, they claim where I come from is galaxies away. I want you to tell Joanna that I am fine, just goin' to be awhile until I get back." There was a solemn pause. "A lon' while."

The shock had fade.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Xon finally asked, using a contraction.

Xon opened his eyes to see that Leonard had vanished and he was alone in his quarters.

* * *

"Xon, you must be kidding me." Roddenberry said, as they were walking down the hall.

"I am resigning." Xon said.

Roddenberry had a long look.

"I heard what you did," Roddenberry said. "You could have gotten yourself and the commander killed if you had attempted to save the captain. Your decision not to help the captain was logical and very reasonable at the time."

Xon nodded.

"Affirmative," Xon said, turning his head away. There was no signs of guilt on his shoulders. "But I have myself a mission."

"You are a bright Vulcan," Roddenberry said. "I am sure the next starship you are on that you will not make the same mistake."

"I will never make that mistake,again." Xon said.

"Never is a strong word," Roddenberry said. "It could happen again despite your best efforts not to."

"I am well aware of that," Xon said. "Roddenberry, you have been a good friend of mine on this voyage."

Roddenberry smiled.

"It's part of the package." Roddenberry said.

"But I must ask of you," Xon said. "If you could see the captain again, alive, and well . . . would you be happy?"

"Happy is a insane word," Roddenberry said. "I would be delighted! He and I were slated to do a mob-story in the holodeck this afternoon. Now, I will never know what would happen to the mob boss Harry Houdini and his police snitch Clay Evermore." Xon did not laugh or smile as he stared in the direction of Roddenberry. "It would be nice. Just to say a proper goodbye."

Xon turned his head away.

"Thank you, Mr Roddenberry." Xon said, walking aboard the turbo lift. "Bridge."

The doors closed.

* * *

"I accept your resgination." Decker said.

Those were the few words that Xon wanted to hear. The Vulcan had his hands behind his back much as the words did in fact hurt him. The new captain came around from the desk, a very pissed off look on his face, hands behind his back.

"Why did you stop me?" Decker asked.

"It was logical." Xon said.

"Would you do it again?" Decker asked.

"Affirmative." Xon said.

"Get out of my office." Decker said.

"Affirmative." Xon said.

Xon walked his way out of the ready room. He was ready for whatever the universe had in store. He was going to steal a shuttle pod. He looked around the room seeing the officers he knew so well at their posts. Sienfield looked over with a gloomy face from his station. Xon's face softened back that read 'He's not dead' that clearly got the message across to the communication specialist. Sienfield and Xon shared a growing friendship about the understanding of the human language. Xon's eyes turned into a 'I will find him and bring him back'. Sienfield nodded back.

Xon went aboard the turbo lift.

"Shuttle bay." Xon said.

 

* * *

It had been two years since Leonard took command of the _USS Yorktown_.

They were returning from deep space. They were a couple days away from Planet Earth on their way returning to their solar system. The starship had some of his hard earned battle scars that were faintly visible but repaired.  He just needed a few more repairs to get rid of the scars. He looked majestic and odd from outside. Some of the windows were bright and some of the windows were dark as space indicating no one was inside. _Yorktown_ was going at regular warp.

"Bones, you cheated on ping-pong." Xon said, as they walked out of the holodeck shooting Leonard a dirty Vulcan glare.

Leonard shook his head with a laugh.

"You are just too fast." Leonard said.

"Negative, my speed is not into question but the way you cheated on it," Xon said. "You brought a magnetized paddle."

"Xon, I am not a cheater," Leonard said. "And never will be."

"You cheated planet side to rescue the then-Ensign John Tree two years, twelve months, two weeks, four days, two hours, and thirty-six minutes ago approximately two months into our mission," Xon said. "You have been reportedly cheating in the weekly card game."

"That is  Will for you."  Leonard said, shaking his head.

"But you are not Will." Xon said.

"Tell me, Xon," Leonard said. "Does Will use holoprograms when gettin' out of a tricky situation?"

"Affirmative." Xon said.

"Annnd?" Leonard raised an eyebrow.

"Are you implying that Willard Decker has been attending the weekly card game disguised as you?" Xon said.

"No," Leonard said. "You just said it. I am goin' to have a talk with the commander about his unlawful cheatin'."

"Ahhh," Xon said. "I understand. He is. . . Having fun."

"Glad you got that into your vocabulary!"  Leonard slapped the back of the Vulcan who flinched.

The  _Yorktown_ suddenly came to a sharp stop knocking the two down to the floor.

"That was unexpected." Xon said.

Suddenly there was a red alert wailing in the _Yorktown._ The halls was glowing a dark shade of red. Leonard appeared to be alarmed. Xon seemed to be the one surprised. The two men got back up onto their feet. The two then shared a bewildered glance then hurried to the bridge. Shortly afterwards we see the turbo lift open up leading them into the bridge where some kind of anomaly was crossing their view. Leonard had only seen this once in his memories and in his entire lifetime (which was right now) that seemed to indicate a dark, nagging suspicion he had. Leonard wasn't going to return to Star Fleet without a bang.

"The anomaly has destroyed a approaching Bird-of-Prey, captain," Decker said, getting up from the chair going to the side. "It seems to be a sapient being. And it pulled us out of warp. Don't know how that was possible."

"Of course it is," Leonard said, surprising his first officer. "There is a machine that has E.T technology and man made technology inside."

"How do you know that?" Decker asked.

"My theory." Leonard said.

"Commander, Captain,"  Sienfield said, turning away from the station. "I am getting a radio message from the anomaly. It is . . . Strictly military watts."

"Put it on, Lieutenant." Leonard said.

"Aye, captain." Sienfield said, turning back toward the communications station.

Xon was at his station taking in the readings of the anomaly appearing to be both stunned and in disbelief.

"I AM SEARCHING FOR THE CREATOR."

"So she is searching for god?" Decker said, bewildered. "I don't understand."

"I WILL DESTROY ALL THOSE IN MY WAY FOR THE CREATOR. LIVING, CARBON BEINGS MUST BE ELIMINATED. I AM SEARCHING FOR THE CREATOR. CARBON UNIT MUST BE FOUND."

"Captain," Xon said. "It is radiating immense amount of energy and measures 82 AU in diameter. Apparently there are some particles that the likes of humanity as ever come across. Beyond our comprehension. It seems there is something in the center."

"Lieutenant Sienfield," Leonard said. "Send Star Fleet a notice we are going to explore V'Ger. That is her name. Do not send further starships. Request for starships to be out of the way. If we are gone twenty-four hours . . . Then I recommend evacuation to the nearest planet."

"Aye, captain." Sienfield said, with a nod turning back toward the station.

"Captain?" Decker said, concerned.

"Lieutenant Garcia." Leonard turned away from the communications station. He looked off into space.

"Yes, captain?" Garcia asked.

"Bring us into the cloud." Leonard said.

"Aye, captain." Garcia said.

"Decker come into my ready room," Leonard said. "Xon, you have the conn. Lower red alert."

* * *

Decker appeared as though he wanted answers immediately when he entered the ready room. There were various decorations that Leonard had retrieved on a few planets they had recently discovered. Some of them were medical devices. Leonard had sat down into the chair in the desk across from them with his elbows on the table, his eyes closed, and his hands in a ball. The two men sat into the two chairs across from him. The captain opened his eyes to the two men.

"Whatever is said in here must not be repeated," Leonard said. "This is classified material. Is that understood?"

"Understood." Decker said.

"Seven years ago there was a incident,"  Leonard said, leaning back into the chair freeing his hands from the ball then tapped his fingers on the desk. "On the planet Easter Bound. James T. Kirk was fatally injured and died in Commander Spock's arms. We held a funeral for the man and sent his torpedo out. For three days Commander Spock grieved, as did the rest of the crew, and I could not find the heart to write the former captain's death certificate. I was hurting. Spock was hurtin'. We all were."

"But the admiral is alive and well on Earth." Decker said.

"Out of the seven years I served on the _Enterprise_ ," Leonard said. "I never expected it."

"Expected what?" Decker asked.

"Three days later," Leonard said. "Another James T. Kirk popped out of no where. He was not an android. Not a imposter. Not a clone. Not a shapeshifter. I did a DNA test. It was the same man I had watched die before my eyes. His torpedo disintegrated into the sun. Captain Kirk explained he was from another universe where Spock ditched him. Naturally, I had to see the results of what happened in his universe. Instead,  I was treated to two lifetimes worth of memories." Leonard tapped on the side of his temple. "You have to believe me on this. It is goin' to be fine. We just need to be diplomatic with her. And I am not goin' to lose one of the brightest officers on my ship."

"Me?" Decker said, surprised.

"Yes," Leonard said. "I will be damned if you die under my command."

"Captain," Decker said. "Did you use any of those memories to navigate the planets you were on for the past two years?"

"I used them as advisement."  Leonard said.

"If Admiral  Kirk was gone in the other universe  . . . then. .  . Mr Spock and you explored the planets?" Decker asked.

"You got that right." Leonard said.

There was a pause between them.

"That is a heavy burden." Decker said.

"It is," Leonard said. "Not everythin' went as it did before."

"Captain. . . Was I any different?" Decker asked.

"I am not the kind who judges people, Will," Leonard said. "I will make sure you get to Earth and get your next assignment. I will give you the best recommendation."

Decker had a small smile. 

"Captain, that is nice of you," Decker said. "But has it not occurred to you that you might be tempting fate here? Perhaps it is meant to happen."

"It has," Leonard said. "I am well aware of the risks, Will, and over my dead body would you die."

"Maybe my fate is non-negotiable." Decker said.

"Damn it, Will," Leonard said, standing up. "You have been the best first officer I had. You are the most determined man I ever met with that burnin' courage. You came back for me when everyone thought I had died and assembled a rescue party. You saved my life and I will save yours."

Decker stood up.

"Understood, captain." Decker said.

Leonard sighed.

"Will, from friend to friend," Leonard said. "Stop walkin' around usin' my holoprogram as a disguise to play cards."

Decker appeared as though he had been caught red handed.

"There was a betting pool that you would not come. I was losing it, big time." Leonard frowned. "I got the idea to make  a holoprogram for myself that adjusted my voice to yours." The commander looked down to his fidgeting fingers. "My apologies. I have deactivated the program myself after the last card game."

"While I was chattin' with Ambassador  Selek you took my identity and ran with it." Leonard said.

"Affirmative." Decker said.

"Cheater." Leonard said.

Decker appeared to be bewildered.

"Captain?" Decker asked.

"The next time you do it, it might have bigger repercussions, and you might as well be the captain," Leonard said. "Don't use it for criminal activity."

"I would never do that, captain." Decker said.

 _I would like to believe tha_ t, Leonard thought, _after what you did_.

"You are dismissed." Leonard said.

Decker left the ready room and Leonard began to start one of his last captain's logs.

* * *

 Leonard still remembered the day that James T. Kirk died. The original Jim. The relationship he had with this Jim was not the same. Original  Jim and he were very close but not enough to be called a couple. They were best friends for life. Jim had tugged Leonard into what he did not like most of the time, insisted on bringing Joanna to a dinosaur park on a planet called Dinotopia, went through a alternate universe where there was such thing as light sabers and Jim had one hell of a time with the doctor while Spock was still on the Enterprise in the correct universe (Leonard could remember fondly how Jim faced off with a man called Darth  Vader using a lightsaber and got 'mind raped' in the process to find some rebellion that they had no idea what he was talking about. Spock had a hand in repairing Jim's mental barriers. And Jim needed much counseling afterwards after their return). Played ping-pong with Leonard on Sundays. Jim was actually pretty good at that.

This Jim?

That never happened.

_"Damn people takin' our communicators!"  Leonard said, ducking from enemy fire._

_"Doctor McCoy." Spock said._

_Leonard looked over to see Jim was in the Vulcan's arms, bleeding, profusely with his torso the victim of several fatal bullets._

_'Take. . . care. . of the ship,Spock." Jim said._

_"Jim, don't speak that way." Leonard said, taking  out a hypospray._

_"I am sorry, Bones," Jim said. Leonard didn't have the heart to hypo the dying captain. Jim looked over in the direction of Spock. "I am sorry . . I am sorry . . ."_

_Spock placed one hand on the side of the man's head._

_Jim's eyes became pleas as he looked over toward the doctor reading: "Don't let him go down with me."_

_"Live long. . ." Jim muttered._

_"Spock, don't!" Leonard took the Vulcan's hand off the captain's face._

_". . . And prosper." Jim finished._

_Jim's eyes lost their light and he became still. The hypospray had failed to keep the young man alive. Leonard let go of the Vulcan's hands as his facial expression became that of loss. The Vulcan stared at Jim's empty body, his face was a emotionless mask, and his hands were trembling. Leonard's trembling hands took Jim's phaser, modified it, then set a timer. The phaser began to beep._

_"I HAVE A BOMB HERE AND I CAN TAKE ALL OF YOU WITH ME IF YOU DO  NOT STOP FIRIN' ON US!" Leonard shouted, standing half way up shaking the phaser. "THIS ENTIRE PLANET IF NECESSARY! THIS IS A BOMB CAPABLE OF IGNITIN' THE SOIL, THE DIRT, AND THE ROCKS. VAPORIZIN' YOUR ENTIRE PLANET. YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO LOWER YOUR WEAPONS, RETURN OUR COMMUNICATION DEVICES, AND LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE!"_

* * *

Five hours passed aboard the _Yorktown_.

"What the hell is that?" Garcia asked, staring in the direction of the massive like starship that made the _Yorktown_ looked incredibly small.

Leonard's eyes widened.  V'ger was larger than it should be. That set off alarms in the older man's mind. Something was wrong, just very wrong. The air became unsettled on the bridge as the officers were staring at what could be defined as menacing. It resembled a beetle oddly designed but applied to a starship. Chills went down the communications officer's skin. Leonard had a moment's hesitation. What should be his next move? Obviously. this could not be the same lifeform. This had to be a imposter. Now here he was doubting the memories.

"The life form," Leonard said. "Scan it."

Neferit initiated the scanning process.

Leonard looked over to where Xon would usually be. But oddly the young Vulcan was not there. Leonard then recalled a similar instance where a Vulcan had left the bridge. Xon had intentionally left the _Yorktown_ without notifying the captain. The last time that happened, it overwhelmed a certain Vulcan and had them absorbed.  Leonard could vividly recall the experience that happened to his counterpart and other Spock. The word 'no' was about to slip out of Leonard's mouth when a electrical force struck the Yorktown knocking him over.

Garcia screamed falling out of her station as electrical shots erupted.

The _Yorktown_ shook from side to side as another shot landed.

"Decks 1 through 12 are reporting fires, captain!"  Sienfield said.

"Issue a evacuation, now!" Leonard ordered, coming over to Garcia's side.

"Aye, captain," Sienfield said, relaying the order. "This is Lieutenant Sienfield, there has been a evacuation ordered for the Yorktown. All personnel must evacuate to the nearest shuttles, this is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill."

Several personnel were making their way to the turbo lift. Some of them seemed to be vanishing in a fit of golden flashes. The Yorktown was under red alert as the lights in the ship a hue of red. There were burn marks appearing on the starship taking the pounding.

"My hands!" Garcia repeated, over, and over in her native tongue being Spanish.

Leonard McCoy vanished in a golden flash.

"Captain!" Neferit shouted, in panic.

Garcia vanished in a golden flash shortly afterwards.

"All personnel must evacuate to the nearest shuttles, this is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a dri--" Sienfield vanished in a golden electrical like flash.

Neferit came over to the helms station then raised the shields.

"Lieutenant!" One of the ensigns shouted, holding the turbo lift doors open.

"I am coming!" Neferit got up from the seat then headed in the direction of the turbo lift across from the chair.

A golden electrical flash zapped the navigator away. The ensign let go of the door with a terrified expression on his face and backed his hand away from the gap between the doors. The group backed away as the lights in the turbo lift started to turn on and off. The turbo lift made a thundering sound as it speeded down frightening the small group. A golden electrical like bolt came out of the light panel then touched one of the security personal. The view backed away to show that one shuttle pod escaped the attack. In a golden flash the _Yorktown_ vanished into space.

* * *

The shuttle craft detected a lifeform floating outside V'ger, lifesigns were that of a Vulcan, so imagine Decker's surprise. He selected the beaming option. Behind him was the sound of a thud. Decker got out of the chair leaving Security Officer Lieutenant  Allen Cho at the front. The human got out of the chair then came over to the collapsed Vulcan on the floor. There was Nurse Mayberry taking the helmet off the Vulcan then placed the helmet to the side. She took out a small hand held device scanning the Vulcan.

"He is suffering from a sensory overload." Mayberry said.

"Is he going to be all right?" Decker asked.

"In time he will,"  Mayberry said. "Commander. . ." She looked up in the direction of Decker. "Are there other escape pods?"

Decker shook his head.

"Negative." Decker said, grimly.

There was a small group that had survived. Five to be exact. Commander Decker, Ensign Maze Wilbert, Xon, Lieutenant Allen Cho, and Nurse Mayberry. There was a moment of silence inside the escape shuttle. Ensign Wilbert was sitting down alone in a seat. Decker looked off into the distance where the massive starship went forward hauntingly but going at a slower pace then it had been going before. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair how all one hundred ninety-five souls had  been taken. A burning rage slowly grew in the commander. Llia was taken away from him. His captain was presumably dead. Leonard said it would be fine. Just need to be diplomatic.

Apparently there is no need to be diplomatic.

* * *

It was another five hours until they came across another starship headed their way.

The Enterprise had arrived, unexpectedly, to their rescue. She looked beautiful to the outsiders eyes and alien and unique all at once. Decker found himself awed at the sight. The shuttle made its way into shuttle bay, gently lying down, and allowing the side doors to slide down. Xon was looking around in amazement at the white complexity.

"I never seen a contest of brightness before." Xon remarked.

"There is no contest." Decker said.

"That is the joke." Xon said.

"I think a painter would get that." Decker said.

"Indeed." Xon said.

"How do you feel?" Decker asked.

"How do I feel? I feel. . . This simple feeling," Xon said.  "Commander . . . This lifeform does not understand a simple emotion. The simple emotion we all enjoy is alien to it. It is not permitted to experience emotion. It is devoted entirely to logic. This simple feeling it cannot understand."

"What is the feeling it cannot understand?" Decker asked.

"Hope." Xon said.

"And I thought Vulcans view hope as illogical." Decker said.

"It is very logical, Commander," Xon said. "Thanks to this machine I am more in touch with my emotions."

Decker appeared to bewildered.

"A emotional Vulcan," Decker said. "That is greatly unexpected."

Xon had a short free laugh at the comment by the commander.  The Commander's eyebrows shot up. Then there was a familiar figure waiting for them at the doors with his hands locked behind his back much like the pose that Xon had except more stoic. Xon recognized the Vulcan as Spock the son of Sarek and Amanda Grayson. The Vulcan married both ways to James T. Kirk by the means of a bond and a human marriage ceremony.

"Commander, Lieutenant Commander," Spock greeted them. Then he raised an eyebrow. "Where is Captain McCoy?"

Xon and Decker were silent.

"The admiral would like to hear a debriefing of this being called V'ger that you encountered." Spock said.

"How far is it from Earth?" Decker asked.

"Nineteen hours." Spock said.

* * *

There was Uhura, Chekov, Sulu,Doctor M'Benga, Scotty, Jim, and Spock at the debriefing. Xon could see the older figures who the captain admired and worked with. The Vulcan could feel honored to be here in this very room. The halls, unlike the shuttle bay, were bright. There were touch screens lining the halls. Since it was a older model it made sense that the paint job hadn't been changed.

"Commander Decker," Jim said, patiently. "What happened to your captain?"

Decker was standing in front of a screen.

"Dead." Decker said.

Spock raised an eyebrow, almost in disbelief, at what he had heard.

"As in . . . dead _dead_?" M'Benga asked.

Everyone knew, in fact, of the three month absence of Leonard McCoy and Xon that occurred last year. It was a mystery to this day how they came back on a small starship operating under minimal life support. Xon had been in his stasis pod in order to have the captain to remain alive. They were found by the Enterprise around a moon after it had fallen out of warp.  Xon and McCoy were declared lucky to be alive because if it hadn't fallen out of warp then the starship would have broken apart fifteen minutes later killing the two. Some first officers actually admired Xon for doing what no one did before. Go across several galaxies for their captain. However, he was a science officer and he totally pegged the first officer duties. Xon claimed he only did what a 'obligated friend' would do.

Decker nodded.

"I am sure of it," Decker said, as the dark screen was brought to life the appearance of the anomaly. "As you know, there is a massive spaceship inside a power cloud. It is nothing we have ever seen before. I saw it from the observation deck. Menacing, dark, and threatening like. Five hours ago, likely, my captain saw something wrong about it and likely was deeply troubled. He would have ordered a scan of it then. But enough to house twelve thousand starships. And that is when the attacks started. One by one I saw people I worked with vaporize."

The other three crew members were in temporary quarters grieving for what they had lost.

"This machine acted out of hostile intentions and killed nine hundred ninety-five people." Decker said.

"It may have not." Xon said.

"Excuse me, but didn't it overload your brain when you mind melded with it?" Decker said.

"It did not kill me. It has a innocent, child-like mind. It would not harm others unless it was forced to. Logically, being scanned was threatening to it, and so it retaliated," Xon said. "As anyone would do. You remember how the non-corporeal beings reacted when we attempted to scan them."

"Don't remind me." Decker said, with a groan rubbing his forehead.

"It was only a chance of luck we are still alive, and I believe,we were spared." Xon said.

"Gentlemen,there is no need to argue," Jim said. "Are you meaning to tell me there is a living lifeform inside that cloud?"

"It is a machine," Decker said. "It does not have life."

"There is life in it." Xon said.

"A mind meld would not be successful if one did not have a mind or a katra." Spock added.

"I recommend destroying it." Decker said.

"If we were to attempt that, then it would surely do the same to us," Jim said. "Perhaps Lieutenant Commander Xon is right. We won't make the mistake your captain did and come to an understanding," Jim stood up from the chair. "Attempt communication with the starship, offer our friendship and understanding, then we deal with the problem."

Spock nodded.

"Agreed." Spock said.

"Commander Uhura," Jim said. "Prepare to launch friendship frequencies when we get close," Uhura nodded. "Lieutenant Chekov do not scan that machine," Chekov nodded. "Lieutenant Commander Xon and Commander Decker you can help us by waiting with what remains of your crew." Decker was shooting Xon a death glare. "This meeting is over."

"Lieutenant Commander Xon," Spock said. "May I speak with you alone?"

"Affirmative." Xon said.

They waited until the last person had left. Then Spock approached the younger Vulcan in the empty debriefing room. The wide screen was displaying the large anomaly headed in the direction of  Earth. Spock had his arms interlocked behind his back then he looked over in the direction of Xon.

"What was it like mind melding with a sapient machine?" Spock asked.

"The logic was terrifying," Xon said. "Pure logic. Cold, calculated. Worse than the Vulcans are with making decisions."

Spock became silent.

"My studies in humanity has greatly taught me lessons," Xon said. "Your friend helped me a lot in this. Understanding and processing emotions, using them, and emulating them out of others." He came to the side of the older Vulcan. "I do not believe Captain McCoy is dead."

"You are right." Spock said.

Xon raised an eyebrow turning his head in the direction of the Vulcan.

"I never told him," Spock said. "That we shared a Psychic connection."

"That is incredibly rare." Xon said.

"Indeed." Spock said.

"The captain told me what happened seven years ago on a mission last year. The captain and I were stuck in a time loop that affected the time continuum. Nearby planets responded to our questions that we hadn't made contact with them in the recent hours. In total the time loop lasted for five hours,thirty-two minutes, and six seconds. At the point he had told me, McCoy feared it would never end. No one knew what was going on."

"What did you do?" Spock asked

"I had fun." Xon said.

"Fun?" Spock asked.

"It was very logical at the time while we seeked to find ways to end the time loop," Xon said, walking over toward the table, then he sat on the edge. "In countless of these the captain did something different. Then he gave up. And the time loop restarted after he did it."

"Did what?" Spock asked.

"I made a promise to him. I rather not break it." Xon said.

"How many times did he attempt it afterwards?" Spock asked.

"Four," Xon said, holding up his four fingers. "I convinced him afterwards it wasn't logical what he was doing. We discovered, eventually, what was triggering the time loop. A planet we disregarded as hopeless in the beginning of the time loop. It took the ship two hours to replicate water then dump it on the blazing planet. Another two hours we did the same task, again. Eventually the planet stopped burning. It would take two thousand years for life to return. So we took the opportunity to beam down the smallest building blocks of life into the ocean and to the surface in hopes that life could reclaim the planet." Spock appeared to be intrigued. "The captain, logically (but it was illogical to everyone), wanted to throw a party. The captain was relieved to wake up the next day without repeating the same day over and over."

"Did you tell anyone?"  Spock asked.

"We did, at first," Xon said. "Most of the timeloops ended with us put us into quarantine, into sick bay, mutinied against the captain." He had his arms folded. "I sometimes do not understand why I was part of the only one to remember. It would have been logical for Decker to have been the one to remember. It was fairly illogical to me in the beginning." The young Vulcan looked up in the direction of the older. "We had a party. The captain got me drunk, made me hit a donkey full of candy, and sing karaoke."

"I take it that this event brought you closer." Spock said.

"As friends," Xon said. "If the captain was inside the time loop another day.  . ." The Vulcan briefly closed his eyes then opened them back again. "He would have been driven insane."

"Logically," Spock said. "You were the one who noticed the planet."

"Affirmative." Xon said.

"He would have been stuck in that time loop for eternity and everyone else with it unknowingly if it was not for you," Spock said. "It is not a rookie's luck to notice differences in the timeloops regarding a burning planet." Xon got off the edge of the table. "You were  a logical candidate to be stuck in the time loop."

"It stuck out because at the time that the loop ended. . . the planet exploded taking out a entire solar system while at it." Xon said.

"How many people died?" Spock said.

"Billions," Xon said. "When it happened the first time . . . it started a domino affect. At the time we were unaware there were other planets going to be destroyed so we continued our way. Five hours,thirty-two minutes, and six seconds later the captain was horrified when we saw the destruction of a planet that we were in orbit. It took the _Yorktown_ with it. Decker was on the planet when the destruction began with a landing party. The Captain was on the bridge."

"This time," Spock said. "No one needs to die."

Spock departed the debriefing room.

Xon followed afterwards.

* * *

It was a complete twenty-four hours by the time V'gers  situation had been solved and those taken by her were returned. Oddly, enough it felt as though nothing had ever happened when Leonard stepped out of the holodeck expecting to see Xon by his side. The older man frowned, confused, and deeply puzzled. Wasn't he just right there? Leonard looked in the direction of the holodeck that had changed from the world champion ping-pong competition into a black scenery with yellow lines going here and there. He turned away feeling slightly creeped out. He decided to head to the bridge.

Leonard could not have imagined playing ping pong with Xon.

No way in hell.

When Leonard came upon the bridge, Garcia was not at her station but instead Lieutenant James Brown was at her station. Leonard saw no one was sitting in the captain's chair. Usually they would have the second officer or third officer manning the bridge while the captain, the commander,and the second officer were off the bridge for some unknown reason. He sat down into the chair feeling rather odd about this. He had a odd feeling that something was not right. Nothing happened the right way. He could see right ahead there was Earth. They were heading to Starbase 1. Wait. They should at least be a day away!

"Captain,we are being hailed  by the _Enterprise_." Sienfield said.

Leonard looked over in the direction of Sienfield with a look of disbelief.

"On  screen." Leonard said.

On the screen appeared Jim, concerned and worried, but otherwise fine with Spock alongside him.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked.

Something happened in the missing twenty-four hours and this was the first question that Jim had set.

"Should I not be?" Leonard asked. "I should be out in space exactly twenty-four hours away from Earth! NOT IN ORBIT! What the hell happened?"

Jim smiled, amused with a short lived laugh.

"Your Lieutenant Commander should explain," Jim said. "And by the way, Star Fleet decided to send the Enterprise into deep space for another five years when they received your message." The turbo lift opened. "I will talk to you later,  Bones. Take care!"

The screen returned to space then the Enterprise flew off.

Leonard got up turning in the direction of Xon.

"Captain."  Xon said.

There was a expression of total loss in the Vulcan's eyes.

"What happened?"  Leonard said.

"Counselor Llia and Commander Decker are dead," Xon said. The words hung in the air earning the attention of the bridge crew. "It is a very long story."

Leonard turned in the direction of the on duty helmsmen.

"Dock into Starbase 1."  Leonard said, then he and Xon shared a glance.

The two went into the ready room.

* * *

Leonard kept track of Meadow's career after he became captain. It was the easiest way to check if she had joined Star Fleet. He had not met her when Jim found the planet Bajora. He had to wait, patiently, for her to pop up. Fortunately she popped up as a lieutenant on a space station last year in 2270. She is currently a Lieutenant Commander. It had been a full year since the Yorktown had returned from the two year exploration in space. The rest of the repairs were done to the starship. He was twenty years old and prepared to be put into the natural exhibit of starships with his original model being given back. The dark halls being brightened up.  The faint scars that lingered from the battles he fought. Fiercely protecting his crew.

No wonder Decker viewed the Yorktown as a he, Leonard thought reading the Yorktown's history.

Leonard lowered the padd with a sigh.

He had numerous choices on the table.

Asides to his year long sabbatical from space over the loss of Decker and Llia.

1) Go to a colony that needs a medical professional and give it his all.

2) Accept the offer to captain a spacestation located near New Vulcan.

3) Accept the offer to be on border patrol.

Border patrol.

"That could work." Leonard  said out loud, leaning back into the chair.

Most of the knowledge he carried in his brain regarded various Klingon losses due to the intervention of Elizabeth Meadow. Xon had told him that with all the studies of humanity he has done and applying, he felt like that he was not ready to captain a starship or accept being arranged into a new division that wasn't science. Xon wouldn't admit it to Leonard but the captain knew that the Vulcan liked serving under him. Garcia, Sienfield, Neferit, Doctor Stone,and Nurse Mayberry expressed the same interest in continuing to serve under him.

Leonard had believed that they would go all their separate ways.

Man, was he wrong.

He was a doctor, damn it, not a bystander.

Leonard wondered if things had been different in the other universe, had his otherself not been there for Spock, what would have happened. Logically, Spock would have discharged himself from Star Fleet,  grieve for  a very long time, and likely, and if unlikely, he found on New Vulcan building himself a new life. Or Spock could have simply died due to the regret sinking into his heart. And the entire universe would be doomed as they know it if Spock had died that day. McCoy would have become an empty shell of what once was.Punishment enough, sure, but then his counterpart would--then Leonard realized. Leonard would done the exact same thing if he had been in his other counterparts shoes given the right circumstance. Had he been the one to peg Spock and Jim together rather than them being drawn together naturally.

"Why not?" Leonard said, swiping on the screen.

Leonard sipped a glass of bourbon.

Then Leonard's vision began to get blurry. Something did not feel right. Leonard got up knocking the glass to the ground and his pad fell to the carpet. He could hear a familiar melody that sounded a lot like beaming. How did someone out a sedative into his bourbon. How? He could see the familiar red inside of a Klingon starship staring right back at him. He squinted his eyes to see pointy eared v shaped  Romulans.

"We need your help, Doctor McCoy." Was the first words he heard before he collapsed and fell asleep.

* * *

There was a small group in a waiting room in Star Fleet command, mostly the ones who served under Leonard McCoy for two years. A man walked away from the group holding a padd where there stood a determined Xon staring at his direction appearing as though he had been insulted. Which was odd given that Xon is a Vulcan. Xon stepped forward.

"Xon, I know what you are thinking," Neferit said, taking his arm. "And if you are going to search for him then I am going too."

"I should have gone an hour earlier," Xon said. "Do not blame yourself."

Neferit laughed, letting go of the man's fore arm.

"I am not blaming myself," Neferit said. "I want to join the search team. To be the navigator. I will make sure if anything is in our way."

"So do I," Garcia said, stepping forward.  "I will take you wherever you need to go."

"You are going to need someone to man the communications." Sienfield said.

"You are going to need someone to make sure those engines are running." Roddenberry said.

"And someone to make sure you all don't get killed." Stone said.

"But I will not be the captain of the starship that searches for him," Xon said. "I will man the duties for mapping out potential planets the captain could have been taken to." Xon looked around toward the fine officers. "If anything. . . I know someone who could take both the first officer and commanding rank for a strictly searching vessel."

"Who?" Garcia asked.

"Ellen Meadow." Neferit said.

"Precisely." Xon said.

"Who is Ellen Meadow?" Stone asked.

"A recent addition to Star Fleet with a good resume," Neferit said. "But highly suspicious. I met her after we got back."

"Well then," Xon said. "I know Star Fleet will wisely pick the search vessel and they will take our recommendations into consideration. . . But logically, we must be frank with ourselves, this will not be a easy search."

The group nodded.

"We accept that, Xon." Stone said.

"And what about our chief of security?" Sienfield asked.

"Tree," Xon said. "Though it depends if he will agree. Anyone have suggestions?"

"Negative." The rest said.

* * *

Of course, it didn't help being on a Romulan Colony that had a bad case of 'Lehizanioe Flu'. It wasn't pretty for the Romulans. They had heard he was the finest doctor in the galaxy capable of taking care and finding cures for anything within a day. Back in the day he was just  that good working with Spock and the best doctors there were on the _Enterprise_. But these days he might not be in that position. The Romulans reminded him how far he was from Federation Space and how easily they could kill him if he did not help them.

Leonard wondered sometimes if anyone was looking for him.

Xon, probably,because he would make unexpected visits.

For a Vulcan the young man was unpredictable.

The more Leonard worked with scientists trying to find a cure for it the more he was slowly becoming convinced that this was not a flu but a force of war. He treated his patents best to his ability with limited resources. He managed to find ways to soften the disease on the ailing Romulans. He saw them in their vulnerable, but otherwise paranoid and weakeand state. _The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few_ , Leonard reminded himself when nearly to the verge of wanting to give up, _or the one for that matter_. The one in his mind was Star Fleet. He had to convince the illed Romulans himself that what he was giving them was not poison.  His suspicons were proven when he caught it. It wasn't a flu. It was a plague. 

He gave himself a year to live and used himself as a ginny pig to find a cure.

It had been twelve months since they roped him in and Leonard was drawing on thin straws.

It occurred to him this was bioterror, or, to be precise, genocide upon the Romulan race.

Leonard purposely infected himself.

He had taken out the one part that made it exclusive to Romulans.

Very contagious around humans, so, no could do for Leonard to be around them.

 _"If I could cure myself then I could cure you."_ Leonard wagered to his Romulan Counterpart Valcoy pleading for the vile that had the disease.

Reluctantly Valcoy gave it to Leonard.

The ground trembled beneath the doctor's shoes as screams were carried throughout the camp. Leonard, with all his strength managed to get out of the tent to see that were there modified bird of preys. Oh no, some anti-vaccination Romulans had found their camp once again. Right when the doctor was seriously in the middle of figuring out a cure. He was testing out a chemical agent on himself made from a sehlat virus. Romulans refused to ask for the Federation's help as they would turn their backs on them and refuse to believe them after what they had done. Leonard was close to getting a cure, he was sure of it. The disease was affecting him slower than it did with the Romulans.

Leonard packed the medical kit into the bag and what belongings he had then he put up his hood and went out into the war zone.

* * *

"We are being hailed." Sienfield said.

"On screen." Meadow said.

"This is Valcoy, doctor of the _Vaccination_ ," Valcoy appeared to be unwell. His skin was seemingly peeling off to show there were green skin underneath with spots all over. There were redness in the corner of his eyes. His eyebrows were losing their folicles. His skin had various green spots. The only Romulan part about him was the pointy ears and the v shaped forehead. "I would like to speak with the science officer and the doctor of your vessel."

"Why?" Meadow asked.

"This is  a very urgent matter," Valcoy said. "And my friend would rather not be seen by many people under the condition they are in. They suggested to make things very clear that I say: scarred Yorktown."

Our scene transitions into the ready room. Stone and Xon stood in front of the desk where on the screen stood a equally as ill human being who barely looked recognizable. Stone covered his mouth in horror at the infliction the man across from him was going through. Xon did not gasp or scream or shout. Xon, some how, was able to recognize the man. The man on the other side of the screen seemed to be losing hair that should be growing back. He had warts all over his face. His hazel eyes appeared to be sullen.

Meadow was outside on the bridge.

"The Romulan race are bein' wiped off the face of the galaxy,"  Came a familiar voice. "I have infected myself with the disease in hopes of findin' a cure. I have made a cure that could work on humans but it cannot work on Romulans."

Xon put one hand on Stone's shoulder balancing the medical officer.

"Bones?" Xon said.

"I am not takin' the cure until the Romulan's are cured. Period," Leonard said. "I am not half Romulan. But findin' one is easier said than done. And yes, it is me, and you have been searchin' for me for two years?" The Georgian laughed, hysterical, eventually falling off screen. "Sorry, I can't help myself. You can halt your search."

"We will report this--" Stone was interrupted.

"NO!" Leonard cut off Stone. "Star Fleet is the damn reason why the Romulans are dyin'! A member in Star Fleet bio-engineered this deadly disease?! I know his name! And so far a thousand Romulans have died under my watch. I promised them I would save them not spread this disease. I cannot go back. I am PATIENT ZERO. If I were to go back then everyone on this ship would DIE. And I deserve a vacation  on the shore leave planet after this."

"Since you have accepted the offer of border patrol this means you have been on active duty for two years," Xon said. "Captain."

"I am a doctor right now, not a captain," Leonard said. "I do need someone to get a damn Romulan half-breed. Or--" Leonard coughed into his hand. He appeared to be disgusted by what was on his hand. "Or tell Star Fleet the Romulan race won't be much of a problem."

"Captain, there could be another way." Xon said.

"Have you tried space fish?" Stone asked.

"Space. . . fish." Leonard said.

"It is a real space race," Xon said. "Admiral Kirk and Captain Spock discovered it exactly four months, two days, six hours,and forty-six minutes ago. There is  a huge populace of Space Turtles that have poop capable of curing unknown disease after being circulated through science means into vaccinations. I take it that the starship is named after what could save the Romulan race."

"Vaccinations. . ." Leonard said. "There are so many Romulans against it. We are opting to . . . " Leonard appeared to be disturbed. "Gas them with the cure when it is acquired."

Leonard coughed, again.

"Do not ask me to come aboard the ship, because after the Romulans are cured, I am takin' the _Vaccination_ to the shore-leave planet and I know who in Star Fleet started this all. I just want my vengeance sweet and unknown. I want my arrival to be unexpected. Doctor  Stone, Lieutenant Commander Xon, I need you to mount some evidence dead or not against Admiral Streeter," Leonard said. "You need to be in biohazard suits. There is a planet with the . . . helpless. You have to visit them yourself, Stone, from doctor to doctor, someone has to pay for this senseless murder. The planet is Amster. I will send you the planet coordinates. Romulans and Klingons won't be interested in firin' on you. Got more problems to focus on. Like real problems."

Leonard coughed.

"You are not going to the planet." Xon said.

"This is your last ditch effort," Stone said. "You are dying. You knew coming to us would be your last resort."

"To save a race." Xon added.

Leonard had a weak smile. 

"McCoy out." Leonard said.

Xon looked pretty angry.

"Let us go save some Romulans." Xon said, his face returning to its mask like form.

* * *

Leonard fought against death to stay alive, to save the Romulans,and worked against the clock to create a cure after twenty-eight hours a large disposal of space turtle poop had been delivered via transporter. He had personally given Xon his thanks. Leonard worked with the Romulan Scientist, easily could have passed as Spock's counterpart, Harak,quickly. They were watching the tubes, the machinery progress, and the anti-bacteria be put in. There was a former virus inside of the poop that made the space animal poop so sought out for.

"Test it on yourself."  Leonard said.

Harak admisted the cure to himself then sat down into a chair grabbing at his throat.

"Hold still," Leonard said. "It is very destructive if you squeeze your neck."

"I can. . I can'. . . I can't. . ." Harak said.

"You can breathe!" Leonard said.

"Breathe." Harak said.

"Harak, you can!" Leonard said.

Harak fell over,squeezing his throat, and made gagging sounds. Leonard saw the dark Romulan stop moving on the ground. He had just killed himself, damn it. Leonard sighed, lowering his head.  He had lost a Romulan he befriended in the last two years. He looked over in the direction of Valcoy. Valcoy appeared to be distraught. Leonard shook his head then signaled for Valcoy to leave. He was determined as ever. He put in the blood of Harak, watched the viles spin, then the machine lower itself. He shook the item from side to side seeing its crystal clear color. Leonard placed the device into a hypospray. He opened the door feeling shaken and dizzy. Valcoy came with security officers, at least the ones still alive, where Leonard stood with one hand against the wall.

"Test it," Leonard said. "Test it on yourselves!"

Leonard fell into the arms of one then applied on the left security officer into his shoulder. That was Chevik. Chevik appeared to not be frantic. Leonard had a smile on his face. He welcomed the darkness as the realization dawned on Chevik. The red corners in his eyes as did that cursed symbol. Valcoy took the hypsopray then injected himself. Valcoy handed what was left of it to Teuk. The officers had looks of relief on their faces. Chevik and Teuk carried Leonard into the quarentine room. They had a cure and they could replicate it. Their own blood that had immunity against it.

* * *

 Stone went down to Amster with Xon.

Stone had a horrified expression on his face.

"Oh my god." Stone said.

"This is horrifying." Xon said.

"Let's get this documentation over with." Stone said, walking over a dead decomposed Romulan body.

Xon held up his tricorder and took pictures of the devastation. Several of the dead had similiar conditions that Leonard was in when they last saw him. There were children among the dead with their red eyes open. They could hear the cries of the infants that would never be answered. So sad and bitter. There were still alive Romulans hiding out in camps hiding behind the curtains. Their eyes did not look good. Some of them were children, their eyes showed pain, and many alive were staring in the direction of Stone and Xon. Xon was disgusted by the devastation, the body count. No body had bothered to properly bury the fallen Romulans.  Sickening.

"We are documenting a act of terror," Xon announced. "We are working with the terran who calls himself Bones."

"Has he made a cure?" Came  a woman's voice from a tent.

"With luck, he has made the cure," Xon said. "It will be delivered through the air. I will eliminate all traces of the dead with my phaser. We will prosecute the one responsible for this senseless act."

A bald Romulan child lacking the V-shaped forehead approached Xon, this was Saavik

"You. . . you are. . . you are not here to kill us?" Saavik asked.

Xon knelt down to her level.

"Negative," Xon said. "We are here to help."

Saavik hugged Xon and cried into his shoulder.

"My family is dead," Saavik said. "I don't wanna die!"

"What is your name, child?" Xon asked.

"Saavik." Saavik said.

"It will be all right," Xon said, patting her back. "You will not die."

Afterwards, the hug ended. Xon took several pictures, and when they had been taken the body was vaporized.  The stench of death lingered in the air as it took hours to vaporize the bodies of the dead. Xon had several security officers, in biohazard suits, beamed down to continue the job. Xon took enough pictures to get the point across.  To make it obvious that these Romulans suffered to their untimely demise. Xon looked up, holding a empty phaser, to see bird of preys swooping down releasing gray gas. Children, elderly, and adults coughed as the gas began to take affect. How many hours had they spent here getting rid of the dead. It was logical to smile then. Leonard had done what he had said.

* * *

Valcoy and what remained of the crew of the _Vaccination_ were quarantined by the Romulan Empire afterwards for 'potential biohazard'. Chevik and Teuk went into the quarantined quarters in biohazard suits to find the barely breathing doctor on the floor holding a hypospray. Chevik appplied a hypospray that made his breathing return to normal. Tuek slid his eyes open to see there was still a symbol in his eyes. They towed him into a medical quarters specifically made for his ailment. Valcoy searched Leonard's quarters for the equivalent of the human cure. The Romulan found a luggage on the table labeled 'The Leonard Valcoy cure for humans' on tape in black letters. Valcoy opened the luggage to see several viles each labeled for different kind of treatments to different kind of people.

Leonard was forty-six years old.

One vile was labeled forty year olds.

The year was 2273.

"Where did he get this luggage?" Valcoy asked out loud taking the vile out.

The vile was replaced by another translucent vile.

"I should not ask." Valcoy said, taking the luggage with him out of the quarters.

* * *

It had been a month the Romulans were saved from the potential extinction of their race. Leonard McCoy was recovering in ICU on a Romulan medical outpost. His body was slowly regenerating itself, repairing the damage done, and Xon was on shore leave. The Vulcan decided to spend his shore leave by checking upon Leonard. They were mounting evidence against Admiral Streeter. The Vulcan walked into the intensive care unit room. Leonard's skin was pale. His hair was slowly regrowing. The damage done by the disease had been extensive. He was in a coma. Neferit was visibly relieved to hear that the doctor was alive but not responsive.

Star Fleet was unaware that Leonard was found.

Just only that Romulans were making a come back from a problem that had been affecting them for the past two years and refused to show their faces for two years.

The Vulcan came to the side of the bed then sat down.

"I need to tell you who has been commanding the search vessel," Xon said. "It is the Yorktown's prodigy. The halls have decorative paint. It is not dark as it was before. . ." The Vulcan placed one hand on the side of the doctor's face. "The crew misses you."

 _I know,_ Leonard replied, _I know._

 _The commander of the search vessel is Ellen E. Meadow,_ Xon explained, _she has been handling the--_

_XON, WATCH, NOW!_

**_The scene changed before Xon's eyes into the Enterprise but it was heavily different. There were different people at the stations where there would be commonly on the Enterprise. Leonard was there,but very older. He had wrinkles on his face and so did Spock. They were staring at the screen watching  a woman be tugged on into the view. Her hair was matty and she seemed to be in a mess. She cleared her throat. Then Xon recognized the woman as Meadow except for the ridges on her nose._ **

**_"This is a Bajoran." Zarak said. "Tell them what you told me."_ **

**_"I was sent to ensure Star Fleet did not get a alliance with the Klingons, the  Enterprise was the likely culprit and to ensure the continued alliance between the Klingons and Romulans . . .  I had to kill the Klingons you put in my charge to ensure their efforts would be in vain." Spock's eyebrows hunched together. McCoy came to the Vulcan's side. "I am sorry."_ **

**_"Commander Meadow. . ." McCoy said. "We trusted you."_ **

**_A tear came down Meadow's cheek._ **

**_"But the rest?" Meadow said. "Thank you. For everything. For being my family."_ **

**_Spock saw the disruptor aimed at the back of Meadow's head._ **

**_"Live long and prosper." Spock said, doing the Vulcan salute._ **

**_And then there was a green disruptor blast. Johnson screamed in horror. Meadow's lifeless eyes stared back at the occupied bridge with the last of her tears coming down. Then she collapsed to the floor. Words became mute in the memory to the doctor who was standing there, heart broken. There was a sense of loss echoing on the bridge as Johnson left his station going into the turbo lift wrecked in grief. The view turned to the backside of Spock.  
_ **

**_The event had occurred in 2307._ **

Xon let go of the doctor's head.

"I will,Bones," Xon said. "I will speak with Commander Meadow about it."

Xon left Leonard's bedside.

* * *

"May I speak with you in your ready room, commander?" Xon asked.

"Of course." Meadow said.

The two came into the ready room. Meadow came over to the desk then sat down and folded her arms. Xon stood there, glaring at her, his arms behind his back and his hands interlocked into a ball. The atmosphere changed from friendly to a uncomfortably 'I have got you' kind of one. Meadow saw rage in the Vulcan's eyes, hurt, and betrayal. She raised her eyebrows at the sheer change in attiude.

"Doctor McCoy informed me of your alliance to the Romulans," Xon said. "And you intentions to divide Klingons and Star Fleet into a all out war."

"That is blasphamy!" Meadow said. "But Doctor McCoy is missing."

"It is not blapshamy,Bajoran!" Xon called her out. She turned pale. "I am more willing to turn you in for what you are doing. That is treason and Star Fleet won't have none of it. Of course we found the doctor. He was on the _Vaccination_." He approached the desk then put his hands on the counter.  "Or, instead, you could become a very good captain and become a member of our family. No one knows what Doctor McCoy and I know. I cannot tell you where he is. It is against the agreement with your employers. Until he is well enough no one will know where he is."

Meadow frowned.

"The doctor is willing to forget and forgive," Xon said. "But I don't know about me." He took his hands off the desk where there were indents left in the shape of fingers. "What you are doing is wrong. It makes complete sense why you lost a complete squad of Klingons willing to join Star Fleet as advisors! They didn't just die in space they were jetted out into space! Their bodies were found in the sector you had been in previous by a friend of mine. You have betrayed Star Fleet. My trust is not  that easy to regain. You are a traitor. And you could remain a traitor if you want to be taken to the maxium security penal colony after you admit to your crimes."

"But?" Meadow said.

"But if you don't," Xon said. "Their deaths could be labeled as suicides. And I will personally request to be transferred from this ship while my captain is recovering." There were was hurt in his eyes as he turned away. Betrayal was one of them. "I can't stand to look at you."

Two well known figures in Star Fleet accusing Meadow were surely end her career and end up where no on should go. Meadow's entire life hinged on today. She had never seen a Vulcan lash out in emotions like that before in order: anger, betrayal, and bitterness. It made sense why Xon had refused to look at her after his shore leave.

"I will approve of your transfer request." Meadow said.

"Am I dismissed?" Xon said.

"You are dismissed." Meadow said.

Xon walked out of the ready room.

Meadow sighed, lowering her head, running his hands through her hair. How would she pull the plug on her own mission? The entire reason why she was in Star Fleet is because she believed they were not doing what they were claiming to do and hurt the Romulans in more ways than one. Perhaps she should stay for a little more while and actually experience being a officer in Star Fleet. Meadow looked over toward a pad on the desk.  She had to pull the plug and be on her own.

* * *

The trial of disgraced Admiral Adam Streeter played out in the public. After two years, four months, three days,thirty-two minutes, and three seconds the doctor came out into public after being reportedly missing. He appeared in the trial with scars healing on his face from the disease that he had fought against and cured. A gasp escaped from the attendee's in the court room. Leonard recounted how he dug into how the Romulans were infected in the first place. He used what remained of Romulan spies to find out what exactly started this. How he went himself to a science lab where the infection was being replicated and created. He had personally sabotaged it before his departure. He had asked who authorized it. He intentionally left tell tale signs of who made it after finding out.

Xon was next.

And he gave his testimony of how the Romulans were found.

Doctor Stone testified that this virus was something new to him. He had acquired the cure for humanity in case it would ever be the case of someone spilling into public. It was currently in the medical laboratory of deadly diseases and vaccinations against them in a container that kept the cure from being contaminated. Star Fleet was left out of the loop regarding it.  Other witnesses testified, those who were part of it, and the evidence was shown. The images of the dead Romulans were shown. Several Romulan children were left orphaned. The Romulans were bitter toward Star Fleet for the matter of their civilzation. Former Admiral Streeter was sentenced to a penal colony for his crimes. Leonard used a walking stick to walk. His legs were still recovering. He was told that it would take possibly two years to work normally by the ones who were there when he had awakened.

"Bones?" Jim asked.

Leonard was rubbing the side of his leg sitting on a bench when he looked up to see Jim, the other Jim, looking down upon him.

"Why didn't you ask for help?" Jim sat down alongside the older man.

Leonard glared in the direction of Jim.

"You bragged about my medical efficiency to the damn  Romulans," Leonard said. "It became my problem. Besides, Romulans and you share a bad history."

Jim had a sheepish smile.

"Okay, I deserved that." Jim said, apologetically.

"I saw people die under my care," Leonard said. "I promised them everything would be fine. I made them a promise that I would save their species within the year they had me," The doctor lowered his head. "I was only able to ease their suffering. The treatments did not do what I had wanted them to do."

"And infecting yourself?" Jim asked.

"It was logical," Leonard said. "Because they still didn't trust me. So I had to earn their trust. I put their lives in my hands and then my own life."

"To show them they were equal to you." Jim said.

Leonard nodded, looking over toward Jim.

"Yes." Leonard said.

"At one point you nearly died." Jim said.

Leonard glared at Jim in disbelief.

"No, I didn't," Leonard said. "I used the cure on myself."

"Not the right cure apparently," Jim said. "I was told you were found barely breathing on the floor." Leonard raised an eyebrow. "Spock and I were on shore leave when it happened. We were enjoying the outdoors, the perfect weather, and I was talking about getting a house on the right spot in the galaxy. Facing nature, peace,quiet, good enough for Spock to do his meditations.  Spock suddenly collapsed while we were out in the park. I checked his pulse, he was conscious," Leonard was confused. "I mind melded with him. It was dark in there. Our bond was unaffected but it was. . . . strained, I don't know why.  I had him be taken to med bay. I stayed by his side for hours, Bones, hours. M'Benga informed me he was experiencing a rare phenomena known as 'Sudden-almost-psychic-connection-death'. I talked to Spock about it, while he was in his healing trances focusing on his brain. Apparently the shock burned out some parts in his brain. Spock fixed them."

Leonard was unable to reply.

"I find very odd that I am not the only one who has a psychic connection with him," Jim said. "You could have told me about it. We could have made the honorary Spock-psychic-connected club."

"I didn't know," Leonard finally said, looking over. "If that happened. . ." He looked away. "Jim. . . I saw Amanda."

"Amanda?" Jim said.

"Spock's mother." Leonard said.

Jim raised an eyebrow.

"But you never met her." Jim said.

"It makes sense why I saw her now. I had a weird dream my lun's were collapsin'. Amanda suddenly came and talked to me, strangely, I was no longer in pain. She told me who she was. We talked, maybe for hours, about Spock. She is proud of him, I hope he knows that. We exchanged stories. . ." Leonard looked down toward his trembling hands. "She said I shared somethin' with her son. Which puzzled me because we shared nothin'!" The doctor grunted turning his head away. "Far as I am concerned." Leonard sighed. "Then she vanished. I was alone in the room. I saw my dad, and he was," Leonard closed his eyes fighting back a tear. "He was so healthy. He was beamin' with pride at me. Then he left." Leonard wiped a tear off. "M-ay--may-may--maybe five minutes later I saw Harak. A Romulan who died earlier. He told me to breath. But I told him I _was_ breathin' and he said, 'You are not.' He instructed me to take a deep breath and then exhale. Before I knew it Valcoy was over me injectin' me with a hypospray tellin' me, 'It will be all right.'

Jim's expression softened.

"Bones," Jim said. "You did something no would have done."

"Savin' Romulans,"  Leonard said. "No one would have done it."

"Except you," Jim said. "You are their hero."

Leonard looked over toward Jim, eyes narrowed.

"Don't you get any more bright ideas braggin' about me!" Leonard said, his hand squeezing the cane. "I am not fit to do it again."

"But would you?"  Jim asked.

"If I had to do it," Leonard said. "I would."

"I won't brag about you,  Bones," Jim said, with his classic smile. "After all, healing people is in your blood."

"True," Leonard said. "I am not acceptin' any requests for bein' the head doctor on colonies anytime soon."

"Spock and I are going to Riverside," Jim said. "For a week. From the 1st to the 22nd.  We are holding a early birthday party on the 4th. You are invited to the party."

"'Party?" Leonard said. "You do realize your birthday was March 22nd."

Jim laughed.

"Not that kind of party!" Jim said.

Leonard raised his eyebrows.

"What kind of party is it?" Leonard asked.

"It is a surprise." Jim said, smugly.

"When are you goin' to Riverside?" Leonard said.

"July," Jim said. "I was testing your memory to see if your brain still remembered my birthday--" Leonard delivered a sharp punch into the man's shoulder. "Ow!"

"I never forgot," Leonard said. "Why do you think some-one for the past two years has been sendin' a bottle of bourbon and glasses on your birthday?"

"That was you?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Leonard said. "The Vulcan got a Vulcan lute on the first year I was helpin' the Romulans," He grinned leaning back into the chair watching the look of realization spread on Jim's face. "And why he got a terribly done version of Vulcan tea cups this year."

"No, no,no," Jim said. "That was pretty useful."

"What?" Leonard said.

"There was a sapient being that was weak to the material you used to make the Vulcan tea cups," Jim said. "And Spock was able to lure several serpents into a container with the lute you made. Playing a melody that was 'Old McDonald had a farm' Spock calmly noted how the lute appeared to be man made, now that I think of it, you made." Leonard nodded. "I would like to know how you managed to smuggle it to the _Enterprise_."

Leonard smiled back.

"I have my Romulan connections." Leonard said.

Jim raised an eyebrow.

"Now, tell me, how did you make the lute?" Jim said.

"I made it based off memory." Leonard said.

Jim looked at Leonard in disbelief.

"Spock never had a lute." Jim said.

Leonard thought back to the drawing other Spock had shown his counterpart regarding musical instruments. Since Vulcan was destroyed there was nothing left of his heritage except for memories, his few belongings, and what was left of his race that was making a comeback. McCoy asked for the backside, the left side, and the right hand side drawings of the lute only explaining he was curious when he got the eyebrow. Personally, making a lute took his mind off the stress. And he had memories of the various pictures Spock had drawn of the Vulcan tea cups from the inside, the outside, and the underside. His counterpart made them, at least with help, that took days to do. It took only four days, three hours, thirty-two minutes, and six seconds for Leonard to make the tea cups. Which was less than how it took for him to make the lute. It took two weeks to make it.

"I saw it in the memories," Leonard said. "The good ones." He looked away. "Among the bad."

"So the universe where I came from. . ." Jim said.

"They had tea." Leonard said.

"Together?" Jim asked.

"Together," Leonard said. "By now, they are negotiatin' with a four armed priestess over the life of a first officer. Then they will go catalogin' a new star system recently discovered by a sheer luck from their navigator."

". . . Was her name Meredith Chang by any chance?" Jim asked.

"Yes." Leonard said.

"It was Chekov." Jim said.

"Honestly, that was the worst conversation over tea I ever heard." Leonard said.

"It was terrible." Jim said.

"Except they were using the tea cups other me made," Jim went silent. "I take it they didn't last that long."

Jim nodded.

"Not that long." Jim said.

"There was never a Romulan outbreak in your universe, and never will be,that I am certain." Leonard said.

"So what are you going to do while you recover?" Jim asked.

"Physical rehab, counseling, and one psych evaluation," Leonard said. "I still have nightmares. Some nightmares I am still on the _Vaccination_ beating my hand against the glass window watching other suited people shootin' down the crew. They don't recognize me, dismiss me as a Romulan that lost his pointy ears, and they have bright star fleet logo's on their shoulders. Black biohazard suits. . .  I overhear them talkin' about how Star Fleet will never hear how the Romulan race was nearly saved. I die in the dream, many times, and then I resuscitate somehow, and no one is there. If I am lucky, I have nightmares that brin' me back to Amster treatin' patients." The doctor shuddered. "I paid a price savin' the Romulans, and now, I have to save my beauty sleep."

Jim put one hand on Leonard's shoulder and squeezed it.

"You are never alone." Jim said.

"Thank you," Leonard said. "Where are you goin' next?"

Jim let go of Leonard's shoulder.

"After we finish the last two years of our third five year mission," Jim said. "I don't know, honestly. . ."

"Knowin' you," Leonard said. "I don't doubt that you'll find some way to make yourself useful."

"Ah, seeesh, you don't have to be that way--" Jim was cut off by Leonard.

"You got the Kirk luck,Jim," Leonard said. "I am surprised you are sittin' still." Leonard got up with his knees aching. "Nothin' keeps you standin' still save for the Vulcan. I have to go now, I have a appointment with Counselor Rollins."

"See you later, Bones!" Jim called out.

Leonard walked down the fleet of stairs, his knees racketing with pain, as he continued down. It would take time for Leonard's entire body to recover from the ordeal he went through. Leonard had no regrets for what he did. The only regret he had was not being able to save all those thousands of Romulans. Sure, he was aware of the Half Vulcan/Half Romulan child Saavik. It broke his heart into pieces to see her image plastered on the screen as her eyes lit of joy holding her arms out in the air. She was so happy because this was the celebration.  The cure had been spread.The images were blurry behind her. Leonard decided one he got into the hover-car, that he had to follow through his mission, upon his recovery. There were still a couple of people to save since Jim is likely not going to do another five year mission. Leonard was going to do the galaxy a favor.

And Leonard will be damned if he doesn't follow through with it.

* * *

Leonard hadn't been to Riverside in years. The last time he was in was to board the shuttle to the academy after he hit rock bottom and he landed in a divorce with his ex-wife. These days he did not wear a ring. Joanna was in the academy to become a nurse. She wanted to be just like her father. It took a couple hours for the forty-six year old to arrive. His knees were recuperating and it wasn't as painful to bend them. They were getting back to their rightful working order.

Leonard was given directions to Jim's house.

And in turn he had given them to the driver.

He stepped out of the hover-taxi.

"Forty-six federation credits." The driver said.

Leonard took out his credit then handed it to the driver. The driver was a middle aged male who froze upon seeing from face to face, leaning through the passenger window. He was stunned,mostly, and in disbelief. "Are you goin' to continue starin' at me?" The doctor asked snapping the man out of his train of thought. The driver nodded swiping the card then he handed it back to the doctor.

"I am sorry about what happened to you." The driver said.

The physical scars were still healing and the psychological scars, so his counselor said, still needed healing. He was still having nightmares. They both agreed that Leonard was not fit for duty let alone a entire gigantic starship. Leonard decided to treat himself to the most lenghtiest vacation he ever had for that matter by visiting the shore leave planet (forcibly), revisiting a planet with a gorgeous sea and a hawaii like attitude, and relaxing for the most part. He did come back to Earth to have peace and quiet without anyone seeing him.

_One night Leonard dreamed he was on the bridge of the Yorktown being greeted by Decker like old times by rank or nickname or last name. Decker preferred to refer to Leonard as Captain McCoy and so Leonard referred to Decker as 'number one' just to annoy him (and as Commander, respectively, when not annoying him). Xon sitting at his station as Sienfield sat on the edge chatting with the  Vulcan about football scores and statistics. Sienfield was a big football fan babbling about a big game that happened last night and Xon bobbed his head pretending to be listening (Or was he really listening? Leonard could never tell if real Xon listened to the football babble that came out of Sienfield's mouth) to what his co-worker would be saying. Leonard sat down into the captain's chair. Then Decker looked over in the direction of the captain standing his side, arms behind his back,and shortly afterwards Llia came onto the bridge._

_Lia came to the other side of the chair commenting "I sense you are not feeling well today, captain."_

_Leonard replied with, "Not too bad today."_

_"You remember the last conversation we had about fate, captain?" Decker asked._

_"I do." Leonard said._

_"You can't tempt it." Decker said._

_"You are right, number one." Leonard said._

_Decker smiled._

_"It wasn't your fault," Llia said. "Captain."_

_"Beautiful, isn't it?" Decker asked._

_"Yes, it is." Llia agreed._

_"And full of mystery," Leonard said._

_"Llia and I are happy," Decker said. "I thought you should know that."_

_"Everyone knows that!"  Leonard said, as everyone was not paying attention."But I have been wise by not bettin' on the two of you gettin' together!"_

_Llia vanished._

_"We have space to explore," Decker said. "Space can wait for you,Captain McCoy, that I am sure of." Then Leonard awoke  at the end when realizing that Decker and Llia were dead. It didn't make sense. What  did Llia mean? He was blaming himself! Leonard never did blame himself for their deaths, at least in his honorably blunt opinion._

Leonard lacked his cane as he walked up the stairs to the farm house like building. It was perfect, one to house a entire generation, with window panels being foggy, the lights being suspicously dark, and the door mat being pulled over a crack. Leonard approached the door then he knocked on it three times. He looked over to see the taxi-driver had driven away. He could always call another taxi in. He had already booked a hotel room to stay in because it was pretty late. Georgia was the best place to be but so far away. It would take half a day to get there through train. Leonard looked through the window. He was dealt with a flash of a memory of seeing Valcoy through a dark glass window to abandoned Romulan medical colony the first time he met him after being abducted.

Leonard took a sigh backing off.

It reminded him of the sight he had seen upon being transported to Amster. It was like someone had made a 21st century campground complete with the cottages, the forest, and the rocky scenery from the background. There were several rows of facilities before the bombarding began six months later by the anti-vaccination. They would be replaced by makeshift tents. Amster would be one of many Romulan conquered planets the doctor would be on. Amster was the place he mostly stayed while being transported to planets for hours to days at a time felt like visits. Then he took one long visit three months long near to the edge of the neutral zone. Truth be told Decker was relieved that Xon came back with Leonard; people doubted him and questioned his questionable command style. One day, he would prove them wrong. So Decker found it in his heart to forgive Xon for losing the captain in the first place.

Leonard stepped back then pulled up the mat and picked up the key.

 _This has to be a surprise party_ , the doctor thought holding the key up, _if it isn't then I am going to kill Jim!_

Leonard put the key in, turned the knob, and opened the door feeling his heart pound against his chest. The door swung open into a dark hallway.

"Hello?" Leonard called. "Jim?" He heard his voice echo back. "Spock?"

This wasn't funny.

Perhaps they had discarded the party plan and decided to return into space to continue their third five year mission? No, Jim would comm Leonard and inform hm of the change of plans. Perhaps they were setting the party up in the barn. He walked out, saw a barn that wasn't lit, stood there contemplating what to do. Leonard heard a sound at the doorway seemed as though it came from the inside. It sounded a lot like a snigger. A half suppressed laughed. It sounded like Chekov's. Leonard frowned, narrowing his eyes down the dark hall, with his right eyebrow twitching. He is so going to thunk Jim for attempting to scare the hell out of him. Leonard walked down the hall until he hit the staircase quite literately with his right shoe.

"Damn it, Jim." Leonard cursed, leaning against the staircase rail.

Leonard heard yet another snigger that sounded a lot like Sulu's

"DAMN IT, UHURA, I KNOW YOU SUGGESTED THIS WAY OF SURPRISE!" Leonard shouted. "YOU COULDA' AT LEAST HAD THE LIGHTS ON."

The sniggering stopped. Leonard used the wall as his guide until he became to the end where he felt  a threshold that was not the doorway. He may be the worlds grumpiest man tonight. He had a stone cold pissed off expression on his face as he felt around for the light switch. Why was finding a light switch so hard? That should be the easiest task of all. Leonard slapped his hand on the wall where his world became brightened and a crowd of voices shouting "HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!" The brightness at first blinded him at this late of night. Leonard's eyes grew adjusted to see there were easily two crews in the room along with his daughter and her supposed boyfriend. The pissed off expression as easily replaced by genuine shock and disbelief and delight.  Who knew Jim could squeeze that many people into one room? Perhaps surprising him was worth it except for the one person in the room who didn't have a smile on his face and hands locked behind his back unlike his counterpart Xon.

In the mere few seconds afterwards, Leonard wondered when the hell his birthday was.

OH.

OOOOH!

OOOOOH!

Today.

And he completely forgot.

Goes to show how his own birthday doesn't matter to him.

"Say cheese!" It was Uhura holding  a padd set up for phototaking.

And it was totally worth being left in the dark. Jim must have gotten in contact with the ones who previously served under Leonard's command. It must have been Jim's idea because when he had laid it out, Leonard could almost feel as though someone was drilling a forehead sized hole into the back of Jim's head. It easily gave the impression that Spock was somewhere hanging back. It must have been easy to book the day for the crew. Sienfield had informed Leonard that by the time he had 'returned', not one of the people who signed on to be part of the search was serving on the Yorktown. Xon had returned to teaching. Roddenberry was serving on a scouting vessel. Neferit and Garcia became advocates for sapient machines and had co-written three short novels. Sienfield, himself, was painting. Doctor Stone had been transferred to a colony that needed medical assistance.

Nothing mattered now.

Celebrating his birthday with his extended family mattered.

"Cheese!"

It was one of the best birthdays Leonard had ever had, personally.

* * *

It was 2280.

Overcoming many personal and psychological issues took time for Leonard McCoy. The scars he had all over his body were long gone healed and they were not even evident these days. His legs felt good as they were before, man, did Leonard feel good. He was comfortable walking in his own skin, comfortable to walk in the street whistling, unparanoid about being beamed up from where he stood, being randomly infected by others, and his paranoria that someone would be out to get him. It took much help from the counselor. This time Star Fleet asked him to be on a new five year mission into deep space on the Yorktown.

And he accepted it.

Leonard had been in contact with Spock Prime during his time on Earth, exchanging their own stories that the other hadn't heard. Spock Prime wasn't much of a old humorless Vulcan but he had a good sense of humor which surprised Leonard because the Spock he knew acted as though he had no interest in making jokes. Spock Prime respected Leonard's wish not to talk about the two years he spent helping the Romulans. Leonard eventually talked about Xon and how he reminded him of a android. Spock Prime finished with "Mr Data?" and Leonard nodded. The ambassador fondly talked about the android as a person and as a machine, who nearly lost his life rescuing Captain Picard (and was taken at the last second by a being calling itself Q) transporting him to the bridge. Leonard's hair had grown back completely.

Leonard kept in contact with Meadow, and oh dear, did he influence her.

"Good morning, captain!" Sienfield said, now a Lieutenant Commander as Leonard came on the bridge. "All decks reporting for duty."

"Good morning, Jerry." Leonard said.  "Mr Roddenberry, how is our ship?"

"He is purring like a lion, captain." Roddenberry said, from the engineering station.  He had been promoted to commander for his exemplary efforts on the USS Constantine.

Leonard approached his commander's station, Xon, who he had recently encouraged to take up both command and science (because he trusted him, apparently, with his ship).

"Mr Xon?"  Leonard asked.

"I believe this will be the best five years we will have." Xon said.

"Oh, I certainly hope so," Leonard said. "Because next I will be on border patrol, and that would be good enough for me after this." He approached the bridge. "Garcia, send us into warp."

"Aye captain." Garcia said.

Leonard sat down into the captain's chair thinking he saw the rather young Vulcan smile, the faintest of all, then turn in the direction of his station.

"Warp five." Garcia said.

The unusually shaped constellation class Yorktown flew through space leaving  behind the vague cloud of it's mysteriously odd shape complete with the handles at the side and the two nacelles at the back.  From there we could see Earth, Starbase 1, Mars, Mercury, the sun, and the moon, and various other planets as our view followed after the starship into lightspeed leaving behind a trail of numerous shades of white.

* * *

"XON, DID YOU JUST TOUCH THE BUTTON?" Leonard asked, in horror.

"Affirmative." Xon said.

"We are screwed." Sienfield said.

"I can't believe the most logical person on this ship let out the damn zombies." Leonard said, rubbing his forehead.

"They feast off pig brains." Xon said.

"So?" Leonard said. "They are Zombies and we don't exactly have our phasers to kill them."

"We can safely deposit their current states to the planet of pigs we passed by not too long ago." Xon said.

"That is two days away,Xon," Leonard said. "By then we will all be dead."

"Negative, we give them pig brains." Xon said.

"Or keep them sedated!" Sienfield said.

"We have five zombies on the loose," Leonard said. "And we run risk everyone else on this ship being infected letting the zombies live."

"It could work." Sienfield said.

". . . Lieutenant Commander, you realize someone has to administer this  potentially life savin' drug." Leonard said.

"I do." Sienfield said.

Leonard sighed.

"Fine, we will go there," Leonard said. "But this is goin' to be a suicide mission."

"Captain, I volunteer." Xon said.

"No, the hell you will not,"  Leonard said. "I am goin' in, and I am goin' out swinging. It is my fault we beamed them up by accident. They had _my_ communicator." Leonard shook his hand. "And I rather you be left alive to make sure that the ship arrives to the planet with her crew intact."

"Captain, it has been four hours since we beamed them aboard," Sienfield said. "You won't have a chance."

"Five hungry zombies?" Leonard said. "I will. Now stop being so negative when you agreed on it!"

Sienfield  and Xon exchanged a worried expression.

* * *

"McCoy." Stone said.

Leonard looked over his shoulder programming the wall block to lift up. He saw Stone with that ponytail wearing glasses staring back at him.

"Stone," Leonard said. "What are you here about?"

Stone stepped forward.

"I was told you were risking your life to prevent the zombies from infecting the crew." Stone said

"It is the  most reasonable choice." Leonard said.

"Why can't we just gas them?" Stone asked.

"They are smart," Leonard said. "We tried that on our escape on the planet. They covered their mouths and their noses."

"Smart bastards." Stone said.

"That they are." Leonard agreed.

"Do you think Mayberry would make a good doctor?" Stone asked.

"Of course," Leonard replied turning away from Stone. "She is nearin' promotion."

"Give her my regards." Stone said.

Leonard started to turn in the direction of Stone when the older man was knocked out falling to the floor. Stone picked up the knapsack. Stone looked down toward the captain apologetically offering an apology then the pulled the captain back away from the zone. He finished the programming then went into the infected side of the starship that was clear of purposely being infected. The door shut behind him.

And Stone died that day doing his job.

* * *

Leonard McCoy was staring out into space on the observation deck.

Xon was manning the bridge.

"McCoy?" Mayberry said, approaching the captain.

"Yes, doctor?" Leonard said.

"I thought you would be at the waking." Mayberry said, coming to a stop.

"Wakin's with someone I know is the most hard thin' I can do," Leonard said. "I mourn from them from here. The ones I knew personally. Some of the security officers we have been losin' were good friends of mine when we started this journey. I have to send each family member a personal notification regardin' their loss. I have to write to Bryan Stone's family regardin' his sacrifice to save my ass."

"Ah," Mayberry said. "I understand."

"Do you really?" Leonard asked, looking over in her direction.

"We deal with death every day," Mayberry said.  "I dealt with it on a constant daily basis on my last assignment as a ensign on the Bailey. A low supplied medical starship. Not sufficent but sufficent enough to keep us alive." Mayberry looked off into space. "I prayed that we make it to the nearest starbase and resupply up. Miracliously enough, we did. Until my last day on the ship. We lost ten people that day due to a illness we couldn't figure out. I had been around them for three days and I felt like I knew them my entire life."

"So you do." Leonard said, turning his head away.

"Sometimes I come here to remind myself how space gives us life, adventure, and everything  inbetween." Mayberry said.

"I know you will be a fine physician on another starship after this assignment." Leonard said, seeing potential in the young woman.

"I learned from the best." Mayberry said.

* * *

Great, just what Leonard needed.

A whipping.

Leonard was thrown into the cell, back bleeding with marks all over, with Xon, two security officers, and Doctor Mayberry. He landed on the barren ground with a yelp. The torturer closed the door making an offhand comment "We will get the codes to your starship." Xon glared at the woman as she left. The Vulcan turned his attention to the doctor.

"This will give me some new scars," Leonard winced. "Ow."

Leonard found himself resting consciousness and unconsciousness

"We need to get you back to the ship," Mayberry said. "If the captain continues to bleed then he will die."

"I am well aware of that," Xon said in a low voice, looking up in the direction of the cell gaurd.

"I . . .am fine." Leonard grumbled.

Mayberry whipped out a hypospray then applied to the doctor's neck.

"Gaurd," Xon said, getting up. "I have a question regarding morality and mortality."

The human like guard,his name was Frankis, turned in the direction of Xon.

"What do you want to spew about?"  Frankis asked. "Your society's superior intellect, your superior life span, your superior powers over us, and how above you are above my people? My people lived under slavery for two hundred years over your race's clutches around us!"

Xon stepped forward in the dead silence, hands behind his back, and a death glare aimed in the direction of Frankis.

"That is most unfortunate that Romulans would do that," Xon said. "What is your morality on the innocent?"

"Everyone is guilty of something." Frankis said.

"That is true," Xon said. "Of things we said we would not do."

"I did a sin by being lustful with my best friend," Frankis said. "I do not think my god would forgive me for that."

"What if you had a innocent man in this cell and you were doing a sin for  allowing him to bleed to death?" Xon asked. "After all, my mortality is longer than yours. Longer than his. My kind lives for hundreds of years. Yours lives for decades. We may be smarter than you but we are not as savage as you are. Do you wonder why Vulcans frown upon violence? Because in our days,before being reformed, there was a curse that killed any Vulcan with violence in his mind until Surak came around. Romulans and Vulcans shortly split up after that. My kind is wiser than yours. You are being a idiot keeping humans in here instead of one you despise. It is illogical to torture someone who you have no beef against. Is it not?"

Frankis's face grew in disgust.

"Elf."

"Barbarian."

"Take that back, elf."

"Negative. You are a illogical race that quells over the smallest illogical subjects, you decisions to risk your lives to bring a dead man over a trench in the middle of battle is the most illogical thing, in fact your emotions are spiteful. They are a waste of humanity's time, as is yours, and I suggest you conduct Kolinahr, deep meditation to remove your emotions and embrace logic. I may be the elf but I am better than you."

Mayberry looked up in the direction of Xon.

"Commander!" Mayberry shouted.

"Let them go," Xon said. "And return their communicatiors."

"We are not going to leave you behind, commander." Mayberry said.

"My superior will be pleased to hear the kind that enslaved us wants to be killed." Frankis left.

The two security officers came over to the commander and tried to talk him out of it. Only to talk themselves into joining the Vulcan due to the refusal of leaving without Xon. Thirteen minutes later the door swinged open for Frankis. Frankis appeared to be particularly happy about what he is about to do. Xon had conducted a mind meld to be sure the doctor was still there (which he was, Xon reported, dreaming that he was in Georgia and annoyed that  Xon appeared in it) with them in the thirteen minutes that had passed.

Mayberry got the captain's arm around her should and lifted him up.

"You must leave, too." Frankis said.

The two men stood by the Vulcan's side as the doctor made her way out of the room holding a communication.

"No,we will not." Ensign Petal said.

"That is suicide." Frankis said.

"Suicide is not going with him. Take him, you take us." Lieutenant Key said.

* * *

Leonard awoke in med bay to see a familiar face sitting at the side.

"What happened?" Leonard asked.

"I saved you and doctor Mayberry's lives." Xon said.

"Petal and Key?" Leonard asked.

There was a pause.

"They did not make it." Xon said.

Leonard sighed.

"How did you make it?" Leonard asked.

Xon shifted his shoulders.

"Apparently, I was sent back." Xon said.

Leonard's eyes widened.

"YOU DIED?" Leonard asked.

"In a matter of speaking." Xon said.

"Oh my god." Leonard said.

"Apparently my mission was not over." Xon said.

"What was death like?" Leonard asked.

"I met my parents," Xon said. "They were the victims of Nero's attack."

"I grieve with thee." Leonard said, taking the hand of the Vulcan.

The Vulcan looked over, grateful, toward the doctor.

"My father was proud of me," Xon said. "My mother found it logical of my career path. . ." The Vulcan squezed the doctor's hand. "Doing what I did to save the lives of you and the doctor was the worst thing I had ever done. Insulting humanity makes me feel sick."

Leonard was surprised.

"If you did that to save my life then I am utterly in your debt, Xon," Leonard said. "All is forgiven."

Xon nodded.

"Captain," Xon said. "In the moment of my death, in my will, I have that the one closests to me at the time hold my katra prior to my death and return it to Vulcan." He shook his head. "I am not dead as that you are thinking. It would be unfortunate that Vulcans would be lost of a great mind and knowledge. Stolen. It has occurred to me that after the recent events I must come to terms of my own mortality on missions like these."

"And I am one of the closests people you know." Leonard.

"Indeed." Xon said.

"As a friend, I would do anythin' for you," Leonard said. "Even if I may never hear from you again."

* * *

 

"Hey Bones." Jim greeted the older captain on the screen.

A warm smile grew on the captain's face.

"Hello,  Jim." Bones said.

"Can you tell me the future of other you and other Spock?" Jim asked.

Leonard's right eyebrow twitched, half angry, at that question.

"No." Leonard said.

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad." Jim said.

"I cannot tell you." Leonard said.

"I won't tell Spock." Jim said.

"No, Jim." Leonard repeated.

"Where are you anyway?" Jim asked.

"Classified." Leonard said.

"You are doing classifed missions after all these years saying you won't do them?" Jim asked, in quite a bit of shock.

"I didn't say that." Leonard said.

"Yes, you did." Jim said.

"Did not." Leonard argued.

"Did too." Jim said.

"I most certainly did not," Leonard said. "You just called to ask me that question!"

Jim sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You can just tell me. You have to tell someone, eventually." Jim said.

"I have, Jim." Leonard said.

"Who?" Jim said.

"The Ambassador and Xon," Leonard said. "The Ambassador knows all the stories, he decided to cut to the chase and see them."

"Let me guess, it was your idea and he agreed." Jim said.

"No." Leonard said.

"You got to tell me, eventually, Bones." Jim said.

Leonard looked at the screen, sadly.

"When the time is right."  Leonard said.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"I hope you tell me before I die," Jim said. "Because that wouldn't be fun."

"I have to go," Leonard said. "I will talk to you later. McCoy out."

* * *

The year was 2290, and the scenery is at a Admiral/Captain banquet. There were several Admirals and captains here and there. The first officers were commanding the starships in their respective locations on small tasks. Several Admirals were enjoying the conversations they were having. We can see several familiar faces from the original Enterprise crew being there too including from the Yorktown. Sienfield was among the captains, as was Garcia,and Roddenberry except for Neferit. Neferit had died six years ago on a landing party.

"Jim, this is Ellen E. Meadow!" Leonard said, bringing the two together. "Meadow, meet my friend Jim, James T. Kirk."

"It is a honor to meet you, admiral." Meadow said, reaching her hand out.

"I have heard about you,"  Jim said, shaking her hand. "You were the one who helped in the rescue efforts of a mine collapse."

"All in a days work," Meadow said, with a bright smile. "Admiral."

They stopped shaking hands and let go as the doctor went over to a small group of captains who were laughing. Meadow looked over in the direction of Jim.

"Captain McCoy has talked about  you fondly in our exchange of messages." Meadow said.

"Ah, I am just that kind of guy." Jim said.

"You seem to make everyone become legendary with just knowing you," Meadow said. "You know. . . I never seen a crew so tightly together like McCoy's." Her eyes drifted in the direction of the doctor then back to Jim. "Did you hear about the command Xon was transfferred to?"

Jim grimly nodded.

"I was there for his court martial," Jim said. "I was surprised about what he did."

"It was so out of character." Meadow noted.

"Vulcan's don't necessarily act human and do human things," Jim said. "Then again. . . this is the guy who has served with humans." He took a sip from his glass. "Speaking of which, what does Mr Xon have against you?" He was puzzled. "I never seen a Vulcan so insistent that he not be transferred to your medical facility command. It was like he despised you."

"He has good reasons to." Meadow said.

"Did you insult him?" Jim said.

"I did something he did not approve of while he was under my command." Meadow said.

"Oh." Jim said.

"Perhaps transferring the poor Vulcan to a Freighter was the worst idea Star  Fleet had," Meadow said. "Working on a minery ship could be stressful on a Vulcan."

"At least he is suffering under Bones's command." Jim said.

"Is he still a Ensign?" Meadow asked.

"No,"  Jim said. "Lieutenant."

Meadow had a soft smile.

"How has Captain Spock been?" Meadow said.

"He is too ill to join us," Jim said. "I told him to stay on home."

* * *

It had been five years since Xon had been reassigned back to Leonard's command. Being on border patrol came with its quirks. They could easily interfere with Romulan interference in the rebuilding of Klingon and Star Fleet ties. He blocked their attempts. The _Yorktown_ was on her last mission, so Leonard believed, when he was hailed by a old star fleet vessel. He had a new communications officer, new helmsmen, new navigator, new chief engineer,new chief of security, and new doctor aboard his vessel.

"Captain McCoy." It was Chaa, a black woman with green glowing eyes.

"Chaa of the Cha Cha Cha Clan." Leonard replied, grimly, leaning back into the chair with his eyes narrowed.

Many people of the bridge had froze staring at the screen in fear.

"I promised vengeance for my husband," Chaa said. "I will be thorough."

"Oh, how thorough?" Leonard asked, calmly.

"Your life."  Chaa said. 

"Mr Garcen, raise the shields, and keep them up!" Leonard said as the screen cut to darkness.

"Shields up." Lietenant Commander Robert Garcen said, raising the shields up at his helms station.

Our view went outside of the starship to see that the _Yorktown_ take a beating and then fire back at the modified starship. Chaa had lost her husband on the first two-year mission Leonard had been on with former Commander Decker. She was enslaving human related beings with her husband and thanks to their intervention of crippling what made them believe that she was a god, her husband was murdered by the very people. Star Fleet sent help to the planet afterwards when the Yorktown departed to help them rebuild their civilization. She had been the fierce Leonard had ever faced. In fact, Chaa was Leonard's Khan.

Our view returned to the damaged bridge.

"Lieutenant Stewart, patch me to Chaa." Leonard said.

"Aye, captain." Stewart said.

Chaa's black figure appeared on the screen with a smile.

"Ready to surrender?" Chaa asked.

"I am ready to spare the lives of my crew," Leonard said. "Take me."

Xon looked up from the first officer Jeremy Tanner in his arms in horror.

"I accept your surrender,"  Chaa said. "Chaa out."

The screen  turned black.

"Captain. . ." Xon said.

Leonard stood up.

"Commander Garcen, prepare to return to Federation space," Leonard said. He looked around at the bridge crew. "Do not go after me, I can take care of myself, and if I do not come back just know you have been one of the finest crew I have served with."

Leonard envied the Vulcan for appearing to be so young while he was so old. Then again Vulcans aged slowly. This was a pure Vulcan who never showed any aging wrinkles on his face. Leonard had met Xon's family before they returned to space. His wife and his three grown sons both born one year apart. Leonard and Xon saved the universe under everyone's noses, marked it classified with the contents, and made sure that James T. Kirk never knew what exactly they did. There was that one time they got stuck in the 1930's and came across a woman who would die due to being hit by a car. Edith Keeler.

Keeler recognized the doctor and sure enough, she was so surprised she didn't notice how strange Xon was.

Leonard lied to her, that hurt the most, the woman who let him stay.

Leonard walked down the corridor, his mind lost in thought but on auto-pilot, thinking back to those he had served with.  Captaining a Frieghter was not in Xon's blood. Star Fleet made the mistake. Garcia, she was a fine helmsmen, Roddenberry and Leonard played golf in the holodeck, Leonard played chess with Xon, and Leonard would share a drink in the memory of Neferit. She would have made a fine captain, he figured, her daughter Alice Neferit was determined as hell to follow her mothers footsteps. He remembered telling Alice the loss of her mother, personally, and let her cry into his shoulder. He recalled being there for his crew as a bartender, a priest, a friend, and a listener and a counselor when they had none.

Leonard walked into the transporter room.

"Captain." Lieutenant Deer said.

"Prepare to beam me over, Lieutenant." Leonard said.

True, Leonard had been busy on his mission ensuing a lasting peace would be struck between Klingons and Star Fleet. There was going to be a summit in three years, tentatively planned, with the Enterprise to ensure it goes down the way it should. The original Enterprise crew but Leonard believed at this point he would not be there. It was up to Star Fleet to do everything.  He thought about commanding a starbase afterwards. Just to avoid the idea of promotion. He wasn't done, yet.

Leonard walked upon the transporter pad.

"Captain. . ." Deer said. "Are you going to be all right?"

"You will be fine," Leonard said. "Everyone is goin' to be fine. When I say timin', beam me over."

Deer cleared his throat.

"Captain, I. . ." Deer said. "Thank you for looking out for me."

"It is the least I can do for a fellow Georgian." Leonard said.

Xon walked in helping first officer Tanner walk with a injured leg.

"Captain," Tanner said. "That is suicide. I advise you go with back up."

"Xon, Tanner," Leonard said. "Five years of antagonizin' each other and you finally get alon' when  I am about to go?" The captain folded his arms. "Talk about timin'."

Deer slid up the bar.

"Captain!" Xon shouted, in horror.

Leonard's surroundings changed to the inside of the blue transporter room. He was grabbed forth by a large muscular human like being with husks coming from the side of his head and his torso was covered in armor. Chaa's personal gaurds, the captain figured, as he watched the corridors pass through his vision. He was towed by two of her gaurds, really, until they made way into the bridge. He had seen the look of fear and horror on the Vulcan's face. The Vulcan had apparently grown attached to the idea of having a human friend intending to outlive everyone.  Or just simply grew fond of him.

"Are you ready to die?"

Leonard stared at the woman who had small husks curling up under her lips.

"I don't know about you,"  Leonard said. "But I regret nothin'."

"Then so be it." Chaa started to raise the phaser pistol (that was so out of date, Leonard noted, why use a old fashioned object to kill somebody) at the doctor's forehead.

"My lady," A panting goon said. "There is.  . . there is. . ."

"There is what?" Chaa snapped, as the goon was panting for breath. "Speak up!"

"There is another man who claims to be Doctor Leonard McCoy in the. . . the transporter room." The goon said.

"I am the only Leonard McCoy in here!" Leonard said.

"Bring him!" Chaa snapped. "NOW!"

Minutes later from the turbo lift came a stumbling, grumpy-as-hell-but-confused-Georgian voice demanding "Unhand me and explain what in the name of hell is going on!" He was tossed to the floor. Leonard froze in place recognizing the man from the mind meld with Spock Prime. His jaw went slack. Two Spock's, two McCoy's. Wow, someone in the galaxy must have just sneezed about now. His brown hair was graying. He was in medical blue with short sleeves. He had blue eyes unlike Leonard.

"Chaa?" McCoy Prime said, staring up at her in shock. "Aren't you dead?

"You are not Leonard McCoy." Chaa said.

"THE HELL I AM!" McCoy Prime said. "And where the hell am I? When am I?"

"He is me." Leonard said.

McCoy Prime looked in the direction of Leonard.

"Hello, senior." Leonard greeted his other self.

"Junior?" McCoy Prime said, eyes widened.

"Nice to see you again." Leonard said, with a grin.

"I should see you in the mirror not in the damn flesh." McCoy Prime glared back through his counterpart.

"Oh, you went through the mirror." Leonard said, casually.

McCoy Prime's face turned a heated red.

"Does Spock have a goatee?" McCoy Prime said.

"No, he does not. But he is alone." Leonard said. "And very old."

"Spock?" Leonard could almost hear his counterparts heart break into pieces. "Alone?"

"SHUT UP!" Chaa damanded.

The two McCoy's ignored her.

"How old are you?"

"One hundred forty-three."

"You look like you are in your forties."

"You look look younger than I did when I died."

"We are older than we look."

"What about you?"

"Sixty-eight."

Chaa was frankly unable to decide which to fire at.

 "SHUT UP!"  Chaa shouted.

The two McCoy's turned their head in the direction of Chaa.

"No, you shut up!" The two said at once.

"Time to die, Captain  McCoy." Chaa said, her hand shaking as she was drifting her aim between the two McCoy's.

"You still have a hypo on you?" Leonard asked.

"Of course I do!" McCoy Prime said. "I never leave the ship without one."

"It is time to infect the whole ship." Leonard said.

"Everyone with it?" McCoy Prime asked, unsure.

"Yes, not like everyone intends to go home." Leonard said as the guards let go stepping back.

"RESTRAIN THEM!" Chaa demanded.

"If any of you want to live: out!" McCoy Prime said, taking his hypospray out.  "And leave your phasers behind!"

"I order you to stay," Chaa shouted. "I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!"

The doors closed behind the last of the bridge crew. Leonard headbutted her straight into the chest knocking the pistol out of Chaa's hand. McCoy Prime picked up the phaser pistol then aimed it in the direction of the woman. Chaa clawed at Leonard earning a kick to the face as he stumbled back then took the offered hand of his counterpart. Leonard picked up a phaser and McCoy Prime handed him another Hypospray. McCoy Prime waited until Leonard handed the hypsopray back to him.

"What are you planning to do, old men?" Chaa asked.

"Oh, I don't know about that." McCoy Prime said. He looked over toward Leonard. "Junior?"

"Kill her, senior." Leonard said.

 "Aren't you a doctor?" McCoy Prime said.

"I am a captain," Leonard said."The year is 2295."

"Jim. . ." McCoy Prime said.

"I lost mine and another one replaced him. He hasn't gone on the Enterprise B." Leonard said.

"What are you planning to do?"  Chaa asked, again.

The two men turned their heads in the direction of  Chaa.

"For all those souls you killed," Leonard said. "I am goin' to leave it up to them." He aimed the phaser at her chest. "Good night."

Leonard fired the phaser.

"How lon' does it take for the drug to take affect in this universe?" McCoy Prime asked.

"She will be up in ten minutes and be disoriainted for the next half hour."  Leonard said.

"I think we should give her the hell she needs." McCoy Prime said.

"Are you suggestin' what I think you are?" Leonard asked.

"Never got the chance to try it out." McCoy Prime said with a shrug.

"Let's do it." Leonard said.

Then they set out to work.

* * *

 Chaa awoke hearing voices.

She could see two identical figures running into the turbo lift. Her vision was green rather than clear able to see color. She saw the many victims her husband had personally been responsible for. She could see their decomposing, rotten bodies standing there from behind many of the stations and in front of the stations wherever they were placed. Much to her horror they were approaching her direction going through solid metal.

"ACTIVATE SELF DESTRUCT!"  Chaa said.

"Code please." The computer said.

"CHA-CHA-CHA-CLAN-MCCOY-YORKTOWN0578WER!" She screamed. "PLEASE!" She didn't feel so good staggering back. "0-00-000!"

"Self destruct has begun." The computer said.

Chaa backed away as they approached her.

"You are dead!" Chaa said. "DEAD, DEAD, DEAD, I SAY!"

They were speaking incoherently with their arms out reached.

"Five."

The computer was counting down the seconds.

"Four."

She met her back against the wall.

"Three."

Chaa took out her blade then swiped at them.

"Two."

They engulfed around Chaa forcing her to the ground with her scream.

"One."

* * *

Xon and Tarren watched the starship explode.

"Bones." Xon said.

"He did it," Tarren said. "He actually did it. The old man did it."

The turbo lift doors opened.

"What 'cha starin' at?" Came Leonard's voice.

The two men turned away from the direction they were staring in to see two men who had close resemblence with matching grins on their faces. Xon raised a questionable let eyebrow. Tarren was baffled then he rubbed his eyes. The rest of the crew had happy to see their captain alive. Leonard looked over in the direction of McCoy Prime then shared a nod. McCoy Prime went through a door that lead directly into the confrence room.

"Captain?" Xon's voice sounded squeaky.

"I will explain in debriefin', gentlemen," Leonard gestured toward the door. "Includin' the lot of you. Doctor Jack Harkness will be joinin' us shortly."

* * *

"So Spock is on his last leg as I have been told."

"He is," Leonard said. "Our last conversations. . . He has been mistaking me for you."

McCoy Prime frowned.

"There is no way we are identical!" McCoy Prime said.

"Except for the hair." Leonard said.

"Your hair is . . .black." McCoy Prime said.

"I had a mid life crisis a few years back," Leonard said. "Ambassador Spock needs his friends."

"I suppose that is why I was brought back to life," McCoy Prime said. "He is experiencin' Bendii's syndrome." He sighed. "I guess listenin' to those healers did come with merit." Leonard raised an eyebrow. "If you were mind raped as I was then you have a good probable chance of becomin' a healer. Katra, mind, psychic, the whole nine yards."

"I will be aware of that." Leonard said.

"Live long and prosper, captain," McCoy Prime did his best version of a Vulcan salute. "You cannot always stay captain forever."

"I know." Leonard said.

"And if Spock dies, maybe I will die and  finally meet up with Jim and ask him if he is still up for that birthday party he promised me." McCoy Prime said,heading toward the transporter pad.

The doctor was in attire fit for the planet he was going to visit complete with a medical bag strapped over his shoulder. He hypoed himself with tri-ox on his neck then he put the hypospray into the sack. Leonard nodded in the direction of Deer. Deer put his hands on the bar then he slid the bars on the screen. In the colors of firesome rings McCoy Prime vanished. Leonard stood there catching his breath. That could have been him.  Spock could have nearly died alone. But he won't. Not this time.

* * *

_"We have achieved peace with the Klingons!"_

The news echoed through federation space as Qo'Nos was allowed in Star Fleet and given help. There was a planet found for the civilization of the Klingons to populate since their planet was at risk of being destroyed by the moon that was ready to fall right into it.  The day was a momentous day for star fleet but not for Leonard. Leonard looked out into space, knowing, just knowing what he had gotten everyone into. Scotty was having a drinking contest with a large Klingon. Uhura was arm wrestling with a female Klingon. And Spock was debating on honor with a fine young Klingon. Jim was talking to the Klingon woman, the surviving heir to the head Klingon murdered by anti-peace Klingons and a Vulcan.

Leonard should be happy, not sad.

But it was fun, saving the day once again, and worth attempting to save the life of a dying Klingon.

A everlasting peace that Leonard had to be sure was set in stone by preventing the Romulans.

Leonard took a sip of bourbon from the glass.

"Hello." Came a familiar deep voice.

Leonard looked over to see their defense attorney sitting alongside him.

"Hello, Mr Worf." Leonard said.

"It feels strange that we are allies." Worf said.

"Enjoy it." Leonard said.

Worf raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you not celebrating?" Worf asked.

"I am celebratin'." Leonard said.

"No, you are not. And you are lying to me. That stains your honor." Worf said.

Leonard turned his head away with a sigh.

"I know thin's that can get my friends killed, so pardon me for not bein' happy. I know when the admiral and the captain are goin' to die," Leonard looked over toward the Romulan. "But it is worth keepin' your asses alive and kickin'. I have seen the future for myself to see what could happen about this great community." He took another sip. "We are goin' to be legends, bygone reminders of a time that had been, and we will be outdated. I am responsible for the deaths of my friends."

"That is saddening." Worf said, in a low voice.

"And if you were in my shoes?" Leonard said.

"I would celebrate and grieve for the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Worf said. "In the mean time. . . perhaps. . . we could develop a friendship of our own."  He took a sip of Klingon alcohol. "I could make sure if there was ever a chance you were frame on a KIingon murder again then I would up to the task to defend you."

Leonard smiled.

"That is the nicest thin' I heard from a Klingon in years." Leonard said. 

* * *

Someone got the bright idea of comming him in the middle of the night.

"Leonard McCoy." Leonard said, he was so tired.

"Oldspockoldyouoldspockoldyouarede--" He could only get sobs from the older man.

"Captain McCoy, it seems the Ambassador has passed away and as has the Admiral." Spock's voice came over the screen.

"Didn't I just send senior to Vulcan?" Leonard asked.

"It has been five years, six months, four days, three hours and nineteen minutes since you brought your counterpart to Vulcan." Spock said, matter of factly.

"Give my condolences." Leonard said.

"My counterpart's will strictly indicates no one is to put his katra into the great hall of thought, and, for safety measures to be buried in Riverside,Iowa." Spock said. "The same says from your counterparts will, it says, specifically quote " _Screw it, wherever the Vulcan goes, I go."_ Unquote."

"Then let them be buried." Leonard said.

The Vulcan stared back at the sleep depreived doctor.

"There is no plots for the burial to occur." Spock said.

"Uh, put them in the Vulcan crypt or into the sun. Just so they won't come back without one another." Leonard suggested.

"That is . . . logical." Spock said.

"Which part?" Leonard asked.

"The sun." Spock said.

"Good night, Mr  Spock," Leonard said. "And go comfort the man. Leonard McDirtface out."

There was a bewildered look on Spock's face as the screen turned to black.

* * *

"Hey Bones!" Jim greeted the old captain on the screen.

Leonard frowned then he had a sigh.

"I am busy right now, Jim." Leonard said.

"What could be more important right now than to wish me a happy birthday?" Jim asked.

Leonard's right eyebrow twitched.

"It isn't your birthday." Leonard said.

Jim had a hearty laugh.

"Can't get a white lie past you." Jim said.

"And you won't." Leonard said.

"Old Spock told me you had some funny stories that I hadn't heard regarding the future of the other you and other Spock." Jim said.

Leonard's right eyebrow twitched.

"No," Leonard said. "There is no way  I am tellin' you their future."

"What about their past?" Jim asked.

"Remind me what year it is." Leonard said.

"2307." Jim said.

The skin on Leonard's face turned white.

"Something wrong?" Jim asked, concerned.

Leonard shook his head.

"Nothin'." Leonard said.

"Well, you can tell me the past." Jim said.

Leonard stared at Jim.

"Are you serious?" Leonard asked.

"Yep." Jim said.

"How does it feel to be reminded of your father's sacrifice?" Leonard asked.

"Annoying." Jim said.

"Think of that being held over your head by your peers." Leonard said.

"Bones?"  Jim asked.

"Imagine having that on your shoulders for forty-five years and knowing you could have prevented it. A weight on your shoulders." Leonard said. "And only nearly dyin' could you have gotten over it."

"Bones, what is that about?" Jim asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, your mother slapped  Spock." Jim had a look of shock on his face. "Sulu,Chekov, and Uhura drifted away from the Vulcan. In fact they had hard, bad feelings toward him. Carol requested transfer and her request  for transfer was granted. Scotty stayed with the ship and . . ."

Leonard stopped drifting back to a memory.

Leonard was looking off into the distance with his hand cupping the side of his face.

 _"Spock,you are not goin' alone to speak with Surak!" McCoy said, getting in the way of the Vulcan_.

_"He is my father." Spock said._

_"He may be Sarek but history dictates he dies before you and he does not have a son!" McCoy said. "He did it to save you. As a friend, as a colleague, and a man who has experience with this meddling with time is not a good idea. You are Surak's son, accordin' to Star Fleet soon as we get back, I may be old and not-as-seen-to-command. . . But that doesn't mean I can stick to the sidelines while you visit the Gaurdian of Forever. If you go back, to spend your entire life with your father, you will bored and you will regret it."_

_Spock was touched._

_"Bones. . ." Spock said._

_"I don't want a repeat of history here, ya here?" McCoy asked._

_Spock nodded._

_"Affirmative," Spock said. "You have . . . better logic than I do."_

_"That is because I am not emotionally compromised right now, Ambassador." McCoy said._

_Spock had a small smile._

 

"Booones!"  Jim snapped his fingers twice.

The doctor shook his head. "Other me and other Spock get really close. So close. As I told the older Spock, other me filled the void you left behind. Other Spock underwent Pon Farr. He refused to seek for a mate. Damn Vulcan was attempting to send himself to hell. Guess who had sex with him?"

"A Vulcan woman." Jim said.

"Wrong." Leonard said.

"What?" Jim said, in shock.

"Other me saved the Vulcan's life." Leonard said.

Jim had _not_ expected that. Honestly he had not. McCoy sleeping with Spock was insane and out of character. He would respect the Vulcan's wishes rather than help him. It went against the doctor's better judgement. He honestly expected that everyone drift apart and Spock return to New Vulcan to aid in his species population growth. Jim was left both puzzled and confused about this. It also made him pause staring blankly at the screen processing what he had been told. It was like he had been told that Nero had returned yet again (which he hadn't. For all they knew he was dead). to face them off.

"You wouldn't do that." Jim finally said.

Leonard nodded.

"Other Spock accidentally bonded with my counterpart. Despite cutting their bond, it was still there," Leonard said. "I mean . . .It was empathic in a way or maybe Psychic. I cannot be sure about that part, Jim. Other Spock saved other me more than you two save each others lives." Jim was in disbelief at that. "At one point Spock transferred his katra into other me's skull before his body was destroyed beyond repair. Other Spock wanted to be taken to the new great hall of thought. Other me refused and had other Spock's body cloned. You know other Spock tortured himself with the knowledge of what he did to you. Remember V'ger?"

Jim nodded.

"Other Spock went without other me," Leonard said. "That was before the _second_ time he died.  Other me was at a medical convention and . . . Oh god."

"What happened?" Jim asked.

"Even without being bonded. . . Other me started sufferin' the effects of losin'm a bonded," Leonard explained to the admiral. "Fortunately there was a treatment for it. It was created for humans because there were a few Vulcans out there who died on Vulcan who had been bonded to humans. The treatment was made by twelve Vulcan scientists in three days on Earth. McCoy insisted on gettin' back to the _Enterprise A_. I don't know much about psychology but losin' other Spock was like losin' you completely to him. It hit other me hard. It was like he hit rock bottom. The only thing he clun' to was hope that other Spock was not dead. There are several thin's you don't know that I took care of. Khan being among them. I deliberately insisted to find another planet other than the Australia hostile planet and leavin' Khan's supposed followers in stasis for a reason, Jim. Old Spock and  I made sure of that. In exchange for other Spock's life, they had to sacrifice two of their own.  Communications officer Lieutenant Decker and Science Officer Lieutenant LLia. V'ger evolved and turned away from Earth's course, After other Spock was dragged out of the machine . . . I never seen the other me so happy. Well, happy as I can get with demanding for answers why the Vulcan chose to sacrifice himself in the first place and hypoed him for some symptoms of a Datastream virus."

"Were they happy?" Jim asked.

"The bond repaired itself after other Spock was rescued," Leonard ignored Jim's question. "Other me wasn't told why he had fainted, explicitly, all they said was that he suffered a heart attack. Which was a straight forward lie. And  they claimed other me had a empathetic bond instead of sayin' he had a psychic bond. They refused to tell him. They believed other me had a week to live with the treatment for a human his age. Younger humans had a greater chance of survival and recovery. None of them later on needed the treatment.  Other Spock and other me defined each other, Jim, after you left. Other me made sure other Spock never got chocolate."

". . . So they were happy?" Jim asked, again.

"They missed you," Leonard said. "But  Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura never forgave other Spock. Ever. I can't say if they were happy. I am not the one to judge them."

"Jim, our starship to Symbelien is here." Spock's voice is heard off screen.

There was a knowing look on Leonard's face.

"Goodbye, Jim."  Leonard said.

"You have got to tell me what happened to everyone,Bones," Jim said. "Talk to you later."

Leonard had a sad expression on his face turning the screen off.

In three days James T. Kirk and Spock would be killed.

Damn his other self for visiting the Gaurdian of Forever to see how they died.

Fuck.

Leonard cried into his hands.

_Damn, damn it. damn it, damn it damn it, DAMN IT!_

* * *

The word came in on the civilian Starbase. Leonard McCoy felt he was too old for this. Then all eyes were on him when he was heading down the halls headed in the direction of the observation deck. Some would think he would be planning on how to strike back. But he wasn't. He had already grieved for what would happened and had to happen. Uhura,Chekov, Sulu, and Scotty were still around. But they wouldn't for much long. Sulu was president for eight golden years and people referred to him as president even though he was not.  Sulu was watering plants when his daughter Demora came running down with tears in her eyes and Sulu knew something had happened. Someone close had died.

Chekov was a rear admiral of Russians.

Chekov promptly collapsed at the news of two people he respected dying.

Uhura was teaching linquistics at the academy when the news broke.

Uhura fled into her quarters, and grieved.

Scotty was in some conference of engineering when it was plainly announced on the screens all around him the murder, and death, of the two people who he knew for decades. It was a terrible way to be informed. A long shout, that was more of a scream, anguish, despair, and bitterness. Keenser was right by his side.

Leonard was calmer than everyone.

Leonard must have been watching the space for hours because every so often his comm vibrated in his pocket. There was guilt racketing the older man. So young they had died, but together at least. Leonard didn't know what would become of Hartart. His counterpart didn't look that far. Why did his counterpart have to include the Guardian of Forever in his personal grieving process? Leonard was going over his entire life with Jim and then without Jim. What he had done. Leonard had saved as much people as he would if he were on the _Enterprise_.

"Bones?" Came Xon's voice.

Star Fleet had offered him admiralcy.

"Xon?" Leonard looked over to see the Vulcan who remarkably appeared unchanged physically. For a moment there he pictured the young Vulcan fresh and new in his science uniform. But Xon was a captain not in science blue. "What brings you here?"

"I would like to offer condolences." Xon said.

"Right," Leonard said. "They are dead."

'Why are you so calm?" Xon asked.

"I knew." Leonard said.

Xon came to the side of the captain.

"I would like to offer my assistence in bringing the killers of your friends to justice." Xon said.

"Vengeance is illogical," Leonard said. "For a Vulcan you seem to ignore that."

"You knew them for fifty years." Xon said.

"Yes." Leonard said.

"And you are not angry about that?" Xon asked, puzzled.

"I am retirin'," Leonard said.  "I got the message, Xon, I am goin' to accept the offer Star Fleet has for me."

"Becoming a admiral is not retiring," Xon said. "That is quite the oppossite."

"If I have to do it then it will be out of duty rather than vengeance." Leonard said.

Leonard felt as though there was a part of him missing. A void matter of speaking left behind from the loss of his two friends. Leonard turned way back in the direction of the space. Deciding what else to do with himself. Xon approached to the doctor's side then put one hand on the man's shoulder and squeezed it. Leonard looked over, his eyes a pool of sadness and guilt, at the easily young and comforting eyes staring right back at him. Behind those hazel eyes were fury, anger, and bitterness toward Kartart.

Xon let go of the captain's shoulder and they stared at space for the next two hours.

Until Leonard walked away.

* * *

It was late.

Leonard was aware that most of the staff and his command were asleep. He was already dressed. Night duty was up.  He had ignored Counselor, Bestazoid not surprisingly, Travis for the past few hours. He had all ready sent Star Fleet his decision. He left a message on the bridge on the captain's seat. This was a starship connected to the starbase. A means of defense against potential enemies. Fusion cannons were installed to Earth's surface in order not to repeat history with Khan's stunt. Where Leonard was going he would be have all the medical equipment he needed in case of injury.

Leonard walked down the hall.

"Captain." Leonard stopped in his tracks.

Damn, it was Travis Kro.

"I have been searching for you." Kro came alongside the captain.

"You have no reason to follow me," Leonard said, walking down the hallway. "I suggest you get some of your beauty sleep, counselor."

"You have not talked about the loss, and it is concerning your crew," Leonard said. "You have not been exactly talkative."

"Counselor, my grief is my grief," Leonard said.  "I will tackle it on my own time."

"Then why are you up so early?" Kro asked.

"To visit my friend's wakin' on New Vulcan." Leonard said.

"I am so sorry." Kro said.

"Sorry is not good enough,"  Leonard said. "If I were you: stop followin' me."

"I sense you are . . ." Kro said. "I understand what you are going through. "

"You are a empath," Leonard said. "I don't expect you to understand the pain I am in but give me some space. Will ya?"

Kro stopped in his tracks watching Leonard dissapear down the hall.

"God speed, captain." Kro said.

* * *

 Asides to the maintence being done on the shuttle bay by some late night stayer uppers, Leonard was alone in the barely lit shuttle bay. He did not always fly a shuttle but he had his experience. He mostly flew in shuttles when it was away from station or going off planet for various reasons. Leonard relied off his gut to find the one he would be flying.

If Spock were here, he would point out that the most logical option was via the smallest and more agile model.

Jim would randomly pick one.

Leonard traced alongside the shuttle that had markings and scars from its previous transports. He looked up at the letters that read 'Galileo Seven'. His hand paused beside the 'g' being brought back to those years ago being stranded on a planet with Spock. Without Jim. He could feel it in his gut that this was the one to chose. It must have been the Galileo's sister, or, it was just randomly named that. Not often did he read the shuttle pod's name when taking it. He never noticed this one was here. Riddled with scars and a uknown future that lay ahead.

Leonard knew he picked the right one.

Leonard pressed a button on the side.

The door slide to the side then he entered and sat down into the pilots chair.

 _Woosh_ the door closed across from Leonard.

"It would be illogical for you to go alone."  It was Xon.

The room had brightened up and Leonard looked over his shoulder to see in  passenger seat was Xon with his legs crossed, wearing a seatbelt, and his arms folded.

"How?" Leonard asked.

"You are a predictable man,Bones," Xon said. "I have served with you for nearly thirty years."

"Well, I sure am not the only one goin'," Leonard said,earning a raised eyebrow from Xon. "We have a ship to catch!"

The Galileo flew out into space headed in the direction of Earth.

* * *

The _Enterprise_ was up at the exhibit of most historical starships in Star Fleet history. The original _Enterprise_. No letters, period. No A or B about it.  Her original bridge was returned to her some decades ago. The exhibit was closed for the night. There were was a group of figures going to the transporter pad. There was one figure speaking with a Scottish accent who moved over to the console then set up the group prepared to be beamed over. The Scottish man returned to the transporter pad. The figures vanished in a haze of golden. The darkness inside the transporter room lifted upon the arrival of the crew. It was no other than Scotty, Keenser, Chekov,Uhura, and Sulu.

"She will do." Scotty said.

"Let's start our mission." Sulu said.

We see med bay brighten to life, row by row above the biobeds, the screens lit to life. The engineering room brightened up to show the tubes, the machinery, and the place where the dillithium crystals would be kept. Scotty removed the hindering clamps around the parts that allowed the engines to move. The flowing water returned through the transparent pipes. Scotty pulled the level starting up the warp cores of the Enterprise. The lights in the botany lab and the science lab. Sulu took a peek in it seeing the tables and the  soil that still housed plants. They were in hibernation mode. Sulu smiled, fondly, thinking back when he first came in here and placed them into the long wide container in the botany room. Chekov held the door open for Sulu. The clamps attached to the nacelles detracted letting go. Sulu entered the turbo lift with Uhura alongside him.

"Feels like old times, doesn't?" Uhura said.

"It does." Chekov said, as Sulu took Chekov's hand.

"Glad I am not the only one." Uhura said.

"Bridge." Sulu said.

They were in Star Fleet uniform, their formal admiral ones. To Uhura it felt a lot like she was going up to the bridge for the first time in her career alongside Spock who was so young and getting in touch with his emotions. She accepted it when she saw that the captain was the one stirring emotions inside the Vulcan. In fact she broke up with Spock when he reacted to nearly losing his friend by crying. Pike alongside Spock as the turbolift went up. The fellow officers waiting for the bridge to be reached. It felt like forever standing in the same room of someone who she cared about, deeply, and had been 'engaged' technically with. Their engagement would be broken in the five year mission. She befriended Scotty and several other male co-workers. She loved being part of the group who explored space. They were like family. Now, she treasured those minutes. The glance Spock shared looking over his shoulder toward her direction then turn his head away keeping his cool. She could have swore his eyes were smiling in the mist of what could be and what was the most dangerous day in Star Fleet. Before he lost Vulcan and his mother.

Chekov recalled a fond memory with Spock standing in the turbo lift.

_"Mister Spock!" Chekov said. "Wait!"_

_Spock kept the door open and allowed the Ensign in._

_"Yes,Ensign Chekov?" Spock asked, letting go of the doors._

_"I have the kalculations for the beam up on Iowa 24 that you asked." Chekov said._

_"I did not ask for a beam up on Iowa 24," Spock said. "Let me see that."_

_Chekov handed the padd to the young  Vulcan._

_"I had ran the simulations and they all came back the same," Spock handed back the padd. "Is this what I am supposed to do?"_

_"Negative," Spock said. "The captain has just engaged on a planet-side meddling. Deck five."_

_"Wait, as in look alike Earth that isn't Earth?" Chekov said, startled. "But that planet is_ **quarantined**! _"_

_"Apparently the captain is taking the liberty to liberate alien species that are not human." Spock said.  
_

_"Oh!" Chekov said._

_The turbo-lift came to a stop then the doors opened._

_"Thank you, Ensign Chekov, for bringing this to my attention." Spock said._

_Spock exited the turbo lift._

The turbo lift came to a stop and the doors opened to reveal the dark bridge. Chekov and Sulu let go of their hands. Suddenly the lights brightened up on their own and it appeared as though someone was sitting in the captain's chair.  The chair turned around to reveal Leonard who's hands were held together and he had a frown on his face. The stations were untouched. The view screen showed the exhibit and several other starships bound to the ground. The Enterprise was currently set in park.

"What kept you so lon'?" Leonard asked.

"McCoy?" Sulu said, in surprise.

"If you are goin' to hell then I should as well join you," Leonard said. "Because it is my fault they are dead." His voice grew solemn. "And I intentionally promoted myself so we would be the same rank. The Admirals of the _Enterprise_. Respectfully, we represent everyone out there who knew Spock and Jim."

Uhura smiled.

"I like the sound of that!" Uhura said.

The three got onto the bridge.

"And you all met Captain Xon." Leonard said,turning back in the direction of the view screen.

Uhura then noticed the otherwise young Vulcan at the science station where Spock would usually sit. Xon shared a nod. She came over to her station and began making sure if it had the annual update for the communications station. Uhura pressed the update option seeing the total communications update time would be five minutes. Sulu checked up on the phaser banks and the torpedos. 

"Photon torpedoes and phasers are ready." Sulu said.

"Take us out, nice and steady." Leonard said.

We see from the outside of the _Enterprise_. The lights on the saucer section beamed on to display the registery number and the name of the Enterprise that had been slowly chipping away. The _Enterprise_ purred as she levitated from the ground then made her ascent toward the sky. It was given knowledge where to find Commander Kartart. Two teenagers skate boarding stopped watching the _Enterprise_ making her departure with wide awed eyes. She made her through the various layers of the atmosphere.  Some people were on their night shifts on Starbase 1. Some of the workers froze watching the saucer section of the _Enterprise_ grace past them. There was total silence for those who was watching space resting outside. The light blue nacelles began to glow brighter in outer space once out of Earth orbit. Then the _Enterprise_ jumped into warp.

* * *

The Romulan vessel _Bullethorn_ was in the neutral zone.

"Commander. . ." The captain of the ship, Veller, cornered Kartart in the hall. "Did you hear about the murder of Ambassador Spock and Admiral Kirk?"

"Sadly, yes." Kartart said.

"I heard rumors they are headed this way," Veller said, with a growl. "What did you do while I was gone?"

"I did everyone a favor." Kartart said.

Veller punched the Romulan at the face knocking him down to the floor.

"You have doomed our operation!" Veller said. "This is going to be a dead man's errand."

Kartart rubbed the blood off the corner of his mouth looking up.

"I know,"  Kartart said. "It is part of the plan to get rid of the pest."

"I do not mean them,"  Veller said. "I mean us!"

"We have plenty of allies," Kartart said. "They will be joining us shortly."

Kartart stood up when Veller smacked him against the wall forcefully.

"I will go down with my ship but not with you as my first officer," Veller ripped off the first officer symbol off the left shoulder strap. "You are demoted, Lieutenant Commander. I negate you to engineering." Kartart slipped out a knife, a blade, from his safely hidden pocket. Veller let go of the Romulan. "You are a disgrace to the Romulan empire. That was the move of a idiot!"

"No,"  Kartart said. "Yours was."

Kartart stabbed into Veller's chest muliple times until the Romulan captain officer was on the floor loosing blood. Kartart picked up the captain symbol off Veller's chest. Veller was furious, deadly, at Kartart. After all they had been through arming some of the Klingons to resist against the main empire and start a civil war. That was their main purpose. To make  Star Fleet distance itself while they were busy having a little war. They were following their own prime directive.

"Traitor. . ." Veller said.

Kartart lowered down to Veller's level.

"I will be called a hero," Kartart cut Veller's throat. "And you will be called a a damne. The fool!"

Veller's look of anguish faded as did the light in his eyes.

* * *

It was at least twelve hours, thirty-two minutes, and three seconds before the _Enterprise_ arrived in her glory to the destination where her opponnets rested. Two Romulan vessels decloaked beside the _BulletHorn_. Phasers were armed and the torpedoes were prepared.  Kartart was on the bridge in a new captain's uniform. He nodded in the direction of the communications specialist T'Spell. The screen beamed to life to display the bright interior of the bridge.

"This is Admiral Leonard McCoy," Leonard said. "Where is Veller?"

"He passed away," Kartart said. "Turn back now or risk being blown to pieces."

"No, I was thinkin' of you doin' that," Leonard said. "At least the last part after this offer. Admit to what you did and come into our custody, stand a fair trial, and then be taken by your superiors so they dictate what kind of punishment a idiot like you did. Romulans are more paranoid and less killing the most important people in Star Fleet history. The Romulan empire would never endorse this."

"That you are wrong," Kartart said. "They have endorse me and I will not be taken into your custody."

 Leonard appeared to be eerily calm.

"I know at least five members from the Romulan  council and they would be damned for endorsing you," Leonard said. "I talked to them on the way here. Not too happy about what you did. Currently, right now, they are ransackin' your home, ruinin' your good name, and distancin' itself from  you. You are in hot water here. Much as they like to be in a war with Star Fleet . . ." Leonard tapped on the arm rest. "This is not the way and I must agree with them. Well, I agree with them . . . ." The admiral's face grew grim. " _For once_."

"I will see you in hell," Kartart said. "Kartart out."

* * *

 The screen returned into space on the view screen where there were three Romulan birds of prey. There was a moment of silence among the crew. There was small crew. Xon was reading levels of a unknown matter radiating off the bird of preys and monitoring them. Keenser was sitting on the edge of a engineering station alongside Scotty. Leonard looked over in the direction of the people around him. Knowing, just knowing, today was the day all the members who served the _Enterprise_ could die today. Leonard was fine with that long as he was among them.

"It has been honor to serve with you." Leonard said, ending the silence.

"Aye, doctor." Scotty said.

"As it has been, and will be." Uhura said.

"I may be the only Russian here, but Russia's loyalty never wavers with her allies." Chekov said.

Sulu looked over toward the direction of Chekov with a smile then raised the shields as a blast struck the Enterprise making it tremble. Most of the crew activated their seatbelts. Their seatbelts came up strapping them into place firmly acting as a safeguard. These had been installed forty-three years ago into the Enterprise after a incident.

"Shields have been raised." Sulu said.

"Fire on the _Bullethorn_ , Mr Sulu!" Leonard ordered.

From outside we watch the _Enterprise_ fire on the _Bullethorn_ repeatedly even when she is being fired at by the two other starships being the _Seven_ and the _Yorkie_. The lower decks peeled away revealing the abandoned quarters with belongings that flew into space like clutter. A empty pool broke apart by the tremendous pounding among the wreckage. The _Bullethorn_ had tough armor that got dents and what seemed like scratches. The _Bullethorn_ fired on the saucer section. One of the nacelles were struck. The _Enterprise_ was badly beaten. She kept on firing. The _Bullethorn_ fired back at her knocking out the power. The firing stopped from the _Enterprise_.

The _Enterprise_ became idle.

From inside the _Enterprise_ we witness the bridge is damaged, extensively. Keenser was on the ground, eyes open, not breathing. Uhura's chair had split apart and she had burns all over her face, her hands, and it was very sad. Scotty got up to see Leonard was on the floor and he seemed to be dead at first glance when he heard a groan. The  Scottsman looked over to see Sulu taking his head off the helmsmen console with a cut on the side of his face and his forehead. Chekov was nursing a leg, but otherwise, reporting "Three bird of preys still flying." with a bitterness to it.

Xon was slumped against one of the extra security station, his eyes forcing themselves to open, and he seemed to be wounded.

"We hawe lost power." Chekov said.

Scotty went to the jefferies tubes and quickly descended. He knew how to start the back up power. They just needed that power. She was ready to make her next and final descent. Her final act to the crew who served within her off and on. Xon got up  feeling dizzy. The Vulcan came over to the captain, ignoring the pain he was in, and performed a mind meld whispering, "Remember." He let go of the doctor's face then looked over.

"Do you believe we can take them out with the ship?" Xon asked.

Sulu looked over in the direction of Xon.

"Yes, she can," Sulu said. "But we need power to do that. Scott can--" Sulu's eyes widened. "Scott . . ."

Xon looked over to see that Scotty was missing and there was a small body belonging to Keenser alongside one of the engineering stations. Sulu looked over to see the breathing but unconscious Leonard close to where Uhura was holding a hypospray. Sulu looked over in the direction where Uhura lay. Xon came over then felt for a pulse. The Vulcan shook his head looking in the direction of the helmsmen. Chekov's ears were severely burned and there was blood coming out from the injuries inflicted against his ears. He was horrified to see the bridge damaged.

"Mr Xon," Sulu said. "Get the doctor out of here. "

"What happened to Uhura?"  Chekov asked.

"She is dead."  Sulu said.

"I didn't hear you, Hikaru." Chekov asked, loudly.

"Dead." Sulu said.

"I still can't hear you!" Chekov said.

"Chekov is deaf." Xon said, placing Leonard into a pod that was set beside the science station

Sulu looked over sadly in the direction of Chekov, then whispered, slowly, Chekov's name.

"I am deaf!" Chekov said, gobsmacked.

Sulu nodded, as tears came down his cheek, seeing the old Russian looking back at him.

"Go?"  Sulu asked

Chekov frowned.

"I am not leaving you," Chekov said,taking Sulu's hand over the console that divided them. "Not this time."

Power returned to the Enterprise.

"Thank you, Scott."  Sulu said, as they turned away in the direction of the view screen.

Sulu set the coordinates, and pulled the level up.

"Live long and prosper." Xon said, sitting down into the captain's chair.

Sulu looked over.

"Live long and prosper, captain." Sulu said, then he turned his head in the direction of the oncoming first bird of prey.

The escape pod fell out of the _Enterprise_.

"I never stopped loving you, Hikaru." Chekov said.

Sulu looked over in the direction of Chekov with a wide-ass-smile.

"Too." Sulu said, as the view screen crashed against the bird of prey instigating a massive explosion headed their way then it engulfed them including Xon.

* * *

"We escaped!" Kartart said, gleefully.

"And we lost two of our own starships, captain." Kallous said, grimly.

Kartart turned away, gleeful.

"Destroy the escape pod, Lieutenant S'vein." Kartart said.

The helmsmen stopped, horrified, looking at something on the screen.

"It is the Klingons,sir!" The Helmsmen, S'vien, said. "They are ganging on us!"

Kartart turned away, momentarily surprised, his mind spinning.

"Klingons are not supposed to be here." Kartart said.

The Klingons beamed aboard the escape pod.

"Hailing us, sir." The communications officer said.

"On screen."  Kartart said.

Worf appeared, anger visible on his face, staring back down at Kartart.

"Leonard McCoy of Earth informed me that the starship _Enterprise_ would be here in the time alloted that we arrive," Worf said. "I let a fellow warrior in the courts take care of other cases to make this personal visit." A Klingon whispered something into his ear. He grew grim. "The _Enterprise_ cannot destroy you with your superior hull."

"Thank you," Kartart said. "We got the best manufacturer."

"In the name of Leonard McCoy,  I will end your life with this ships disruptor banks,"  Worf said. "Gre'thor will be paved in your ashes. Worf out."

The screen grew dark.

"Captain?" Kallous asked.

Everyone looked in the direction of Kartart.

"Do not abandon your posts."  Kartart said, as the disruptor banks started to power up.

The communications officer sent a evacuation message throughout the ship.

"ABANDON ALL POSTS!" Kallous shouted.

Kartart grabbed the shoulder of Kallous stopping him from going any further.

"You were part of this,Commander Kallous," Kartart said. "You go down with me."

"Let me go!" Kallous cried, as the disruptor blasts struck the bridge. "I rather die not in your presence!"

Kartart was sent flying away letting go of Kallous crashing against the communications station that was empty. Kallous scrambled up running to the nearest staircase then ran down as blast after blast struck the small starship. Kartart stood there, grinning, thinking he would be known as the most heroic Romulan there was. He accepted his death with dignity staring at the final blast that struck the starship. The Klingons finished off the fleeing shuttles destroying them one by one. They did not leave survivors for that matter in combat.

* * *

 Leonard awoke in the hospital, one hand over his chest, feeling quite fine. He could see the TV was blaring news of a Klingon joining the academy. Behind her was students rallying around the Klingon allowing her to entire the building. He had seen the forehead ridge. The look of defiance on her face that was typical for someone who wanted to get what they wanted. A female Klingon joining the academy. Jim would be laughing at this. Leonard looked over to see a aged Sienfield beside him to whom he smiled. 

"Where is Uhura?" Leonard asked.

"I am sorry, Admiral," Sienfield said. "The ones you traveled with three days ago are dead."

Leonard's face faltered.

"Uhura. . . Xon. . ." Leonard said, briefly closing his eyes.

"Xon was with you?" Sienfield asked.

"Yes, he was." Leonard said.

"But. . . Xon. . . visited me yesterday," Sienfield said.  "He can't be dead. I just talked to him."

 _"Technically I am still here but residing in your head is fascinating,Bones."_ Came Xon's voice.

A wide smile grew on Leonard's face, a comforted one.

"He is still here." Leonard said.

 _"You can deposit me on New Vulcan when you are well enough."_ Xon's voice came from his head.

"And he is still makin' sure I am well," Leonard said. "Typical Vulcan."

"If there was anything I could do for you. . ." Sienfield said, trying to find the right words.

"I need to be told if we suceeded or not."  Leonard said.

"The Klingons arrived as you had requested them, and they picked up your escape pod. They destroyed the Bullethorn," Sienfield said. "Nothing remains of it. The Romulans deny any part in the assassinations of Admiral Kirk and Ambassador Spock or any affiliations with Kartart."

"Good old Klingon's," Leonard said. He paused then looked over in the direction of Sienfield. "I need to talk about what what happened in there."

"Talk to me." Sienfield said.

* * *

_The communications station burst a ray of red, yellow, and orange light firing Uhura back on the floor with her scream. The chair to the station had split apart. Leonard turned the seatbelt off then took out a hypospray and ran to her side, his inner doctor was kicking in. Leonard came over to her side where Uhura's eyes were seemingly blind._

_"Stick with me, Uhura." Leonard said._

_"Jim is okay," Uhura said. "Spock is with him. . . I see them." Leonard hypoed her using a burn hypospray. "I have to go now."_

_There was a cackle from the light fixture._

_"Over my dead body!" Leonard said. "You are blind, Uhura, your eyes are burned."_

_Uhura took the hand of the doctor, weakly, as it became clear._

_"The captain is ordering you to stand down,Doctor McCoy," Uhura said. "It is my time."_

_There were tears coming from the corners of Leonard's eyes._

_"And the captain wants to know if you are busy or not." Uhura said._

_"I am busy, Jim." Leonard said, feeling a tear come down._

_Uhura had a small and sad smile._

_"They are sad," Uhura said. "But they will wait for you. Spock wants me to tell you. . . Live long and prosper."_

_"I will see you soon." Leonard said._

_"No, you won't," Uhura said. "Jim, you don't have to bridal style me to the after. . ." Then her eyes lost light._

_Leonard closed Uhura's eyes feeling tears come down his cheeks._

_"Keep them out of trouble,ya hear," Leonard said, choking on his own words in between his tears. "Until I get there."_

_And then there was a explosion that sent the doctor falling right across from her earning a bruise on his forehead, a cut on his forearm, and several other scars that would be later repaired by the Klingons on the way to Earth. At least the ones they could repair. Leonard had been expecting to die that day. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair. The last of the Enterprise crew alive. At the time he was knocked out on the floor, Leonard McCoy was not alone._

* * *

Leonard made it to the home planet New Vulcan. The assigned Katra Keeper came to the Admiral then inspected him like he was a machine or an artifact. _  
_

"What are you starin' at?" Leonard asked.

"It is rare for a Vulcan to dispose of their Katra into a older male," The Katra Keeper said. "You may have . .  . a part of Xon left inside after the ceremony."

"What do you mean by a part of him?" Leonard asked.

"A piece of his katra." The katra keeper said.

"No way in hell!" Leonard said.

 _"Bones, please respect her."_ Xon said.

"How can I respect her when she is statin' you are goin' to leave yourself in my head, anyway!" Leonard said, looking over toward thin air where Xon should be.

 _"That is not what she meant."_ Xon said.

"Then what did she mean?" Leonard asked.

Xon was silent.

"Well?"  Leonard frowned. "Answer me,  Xon! I am not a child!"

 _"You may hallucinate seeing me age."_ Xon finally said.

"You mean I will actually see your ghost agin' the way a Vulcan should and have a tie to the land of the livin'." Leonard said.

"Affirmative." The Katra Keeper said.

 _"Negative."_ Xon said.

"Don't lie to me, Xon!" Leonard shouted. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF VULCAN'S LYIN' TO ME IN THIS LIFETIME!"

There was silence.

"Most Vulcans in his position would deny it as it is customary for the one who has a part of himself of the other to leave a part of himself in the  hall of ancient thought prior to their passing," The Katra keeper said. "In that way we can have the katra of the Vulcan completely. I believe he was assured that none of the effects would happen and you would be freely able to co-exist in your own manner of afterlife. Most logical probability is that he was aware of the chances and took it."

"Now hold it!" Leonard said, holding his hand. "Are you sayin' a part of me won't move on in exchange for this Vulcan to be taken outta my skull?"

The Katra keeper nodded.

"Affirmative."

_"Negative."_

Leonard sighed.

"Xon, stop speakin' over the lady," Leonard said, calmly but yet annoyed. "Quite rude of you."

The Katra keeper looked at him sadly.

"Affirmative." The Katra keeper repeated.

Leonard sighed, coming to resignation.

"I accept the consequence." Leonard said.

"I will return to do the ceremony when you are not compromised." The Katra Keeper said.

Leonard realized he was crying.

Damn Vulcans making him emotional today.

"It is a price I will gladly pay," Leonard said. "Do it. Right now."

The Katra Keeper put her hands on the side of his face.

_Live long and prosper, old friend._

Leonard could feel her traveling his mind.

_I will, and always shall be, yours._

She traveled further.

[Leonard mentally rolled an eye at that part.]

_Don't be so romantic._

The Katra Keeper found him. 

[Xon mentally raised an eyebrow, baffled.]

A bright, golden beaming katra resting in the doctor's mind.

_That was purely platonic, Bones._

Then Xon was gone.

 "It is done," The Katra Keeper noticed her hands were wet and the doctor was crying. She let go of both sides lowering her hands down. She appeared to be concerned. "Are you all right?"

"Q--Quite fine,"  Leonard said. _And he got the last word,_ The doctor thought. "Thank you."

Leonard turned then tearfully walked away.

* * *

"Charlotte." Leonard awoke, sensing that Charlotte, his daughter's child's daughter who was quite young, was out of her room.  He got out of bed, put on his slip-ons,then told the computer to put on the lights to sixty-four percent lighting up the room. It paid to be a aging admiral. He outranked most of his peers. Sienfield did pay some visits with Roddenberry, shared some tea, talked about old times, shared stories, and laughed. Garcia passed away due to a strong fighting cancer that could not be cured two years ago.

Leonard walked down the hallway hearing her laughter.

"Charlotte!" Leonard repeated.

He heard Charlotte's giggle.

"Charlotte, get the hell back to bed--" Leonard came to the doorway where he saw a familiar Romulan, scarred all over, staring a hole right into his forehead. Didn't he die not too long ago?  "Charlotte . . . Step away from the Romulan."

"My name is Zarak." Zarak said.

Oooooh.

"My name is Leonard McCoy who is going to make you kiss your own ass," Leonard said. "Step away from the girl."

Zarak combed through her hair.

"You love her grandchildren, don't you?" Zarak asked, looking up.

Leonard was panicking.

"Yes." Leonard said.

"If you love them then you will stop your charade." Zarak said.

'What charade?" Leonard said.

"Stopping us." Zarak said.

Leonard laughed.

"It has been five years!" Leonard said. "I thought I was over this! I have sent scoutin' ships there for a reason. A very good reason and I assume you are a lousy excuse for a Romulan with those human ears." Zarak growled back the doctor. "Don't growl at me. Do you want to kill the little girl? Do it.  See where that gets you. Look where that got the Romulan who killed my friends."

"He is dead." Zarak said.

"Do you see where I am goin'?" Leonard said. "I suggest if you want to kill me you aim for the head. Quicker means of death. But then again if she remembers what she just saw twenty-five years from now you will be screwed to high heaven. You will have a woman on your tail chasin' you, defiantly, with the McCoy family right behind her. Can you imagine your life that way?"

"You are one of the boldest admirals I have ever come across." Zarak said.

"Kind of depressin',comes with the mission." Leonard said.

"Mission?" Zarak asked.

Leonard's face faltered.

"What mission?" Zarak asked, again.

Leonard did not reply.

"I will kill her if you do not tell me." Zarak said.

Leonard did not reply as he stared at Zarak.

"Charlotte," Leonard said. "There is a Vulcan in the hall."

"Vulcan?" Charlotte got up. "VULCAN?" She squealed running into the hall. "I LIKE VULCANS!"

"Lock doors." Leonard said, as the doors shut behind Charlotte.

"What are you going to do?" Zarak asked, realigning his aim. "Play with me?"

Leonard briefly closed his eyes and when it opened there could have been a click indicating his humanity had turned off.

"No," Leonard said. "Much worse. Lights. OFF."

The scene turned to pitch black. There was a commotion, sounds of furniture breaking, and the sounds of disruptors fired. Our screen goes into the hall. The door flew open followed by Star Fleet Officers coming in. There was a scream from the door. They disarmed the lock to the door to the living room. The lights turned back on to reveal Leonard with cuts on his face and hands pinning the Romulan down on his back. Zarak was injured. Zarak did not appear to be in good shape. There was disruptor holes everywhere in the room. Charlotte had returned to bed and was sound asleep.

"Admiral McCoy?" The Star Fleet officer asked, stunned.

"Cuff this Romulan while he is still pinned," Leonard said, looking up toward the officers. "I don't want him to kill me."

"Yes, admiral." The second Star Fleet officer said.

The two officers came over then cuffed Zarak. Leonard got over to the side with a relieved sigh. He had a scrape on his knee from the fight. He sat on the floor with one hand on his not-injured left knee. The two officers escorted Zarak out as he kicked and screamed declaring he would have his vengeance.

"Yeah, yeah," The second Star Fleet officer said. "That is what they all say. I have to think a rogue Romulan despised by most of the Romulan Empire has better problems than getting vengeance over a Terran."

"Sir?" The third Star Fleet officer said. "I believe you need to go to the hospital."

Leonard appeared to be tired, and genuinely older as he looked over in the direction of the Star Fleet officer.

"Just make sure my granddaughter sleeps through the night." Leonard said.

"Yes, sir." The third Star Fleet officer said, with a nod.

* * *

Leonard walked the halls of the newer version of the _Yorktown_ alongside a visibly aged Roddenberry. It seemed like two decades had passed for the two. The halls were painted not white but a more gentler color for the human eye. We can see from the outside that it was a _Yorktown_ class (The _Yorktown_ got her own class of starships in different names because of recent debates regarding her design) named, naturally, The _Yorktown-B._

"Remember the time when Xon tried to make a joke?" Roddenberry asked.

"How can I forget Llia's reaction," Leonard said. "He insulted her."

"Poor Vulcan." Roddenberry said.

There was a pause between the two.

"I wish the rest of us were here." Leonard said.

"They gave a good fight against the rogue Klingons." Roddenberry said.

"That they did," Leonard said. "My only regret is not tellin' them how honored I was to have served with them."

The two men got into the turbo lift.

"Bridge." Roddenberry said.

"Do you think  Xon ever thinks about us?" Leonard asked.

"Not really. I like to think he is living in his memories or teaching a Vulcan about one of many missions we were on," Roddenberry said. "It was a shame Tree was the first of us to go and Xon was the second."

Leonard nodded.

"I miss Xon and Sienfield," Leonard admitted. "They were thick as thieves. I like to think Sienfield visits Xon every once and a while."

"Knowing Jerry," Roddenberry said. "He probably does."

The doors opened before the two men.

"One step for admiral. . ." Leonard said.

"One step into the future."  Roddenberry said.

They shared a glance together, a sad look in Leonard's eyes, then they walked together onto the bridge. Leonard outlived the first Enterprise family. The first crew he had on the Yorktown. There was on, the Yorktown B, a Klingon being Malice sitting in the captain's chair with her first officer Spick by the chair. Spick had her arms locked behind her back. She looked over her shoulder, emotionlessly in the direction of the two men. Runt got up then approached the two men.

"Welcome aboard the bridge," Malice said. "Mr Roddenberry, Mr McCoy."

Spick followed not too long after her.

"Greetings,"  Spick said. "I am Commander Spick."

"It is me or is it  a stapler that there be a Vulcan  Commander on important starships?" Roddenberry joked.,

Leonard laughed.

"Too true."  Leonard said.

"It is not a stapler." Spick said.

"He means a requirement," Leonard said. "It is a joke."

Spick raised an left eyebrow.

"Jokes are illogical."  Spick said.

"Come to me in the end of this century and say that again." Leonard said, lightheartedly.

"I will endeavor to be there." Spick said, with a honored nod.

"You gotta stay alive for that, Admiral!" Roddenberry said.

"To be told that?" Leonard asked. "I rather not."

"We may be the same rank but you are obligated to stick around and be there for when the Vulcan says it is logical." Roddenberry said.

"When you say that . . ." Leonard said. "I guess there is somethin' worth stickin' around for."

"Have you two toured the ship?" Malice asked.

"Indeed." The two men said at once.

There was a familiar aged figure standing alongside the captain's chair.

"It would be a honor for you to sit in the captain's chair one last time." Malice said.

Leonard walked past her.

A wordless name was in his eyes.

 _"Hello."_ Came a familiar Vulcan voice.

Leonard appeared to be bewildered.

"For a  Vulcan who is dead, you seem to be good at not showin up!" Leonard said. "And you still look younger than me."

 _"Bones."_ Xon said.

"What?" Leonard said.

 _"I only came here to see the new starship himself."_ Xon said.

"Well, isn't that logical. Visiting to see the new starship." Leonard said.

 _"Did you see the plagues?"_ Xon asked.

"What plagues?" Leonard said, puzzled.

 _"Look down."_ Xon said.

Leonard looked down on the armest, then he turned and sat down reading it.

"To the first officer and the captain: may your voyages never get dull." Leonard read out loud.

 _"He looks like a fine starship."_ Xon said.

Leonard looked over in the direction of Xon.

"Xon." Leonard said.

 _"Yes?"_ Xon said.

"Am I dreamin' or hallucinating this?" Leonard asked.

 _"When you are dead, you can do anything, stretch out a moment into a lifetime or  a day."_ Xon said.

"I get the point." Leonard said.

 _"I have not shown myself due to concerns that your afterlife would be spoiled if I showed up."_ Xon said.

"Did. I. Fall?" Leonard asked.

 _"You have collapsed upon the opening remark of Malice requesting you to sit in the captain's chair. You are in sick bay,"_ Xon explained. _"You are seeing what is on this current bridge. There are plagues on the others respective stations. Roddenberry is in good hands."_

"I fell." Leonard said.

 _"You are going to be alone, but realize this, the_ Enterprise _crew have never left you alone."_ Xon said.

"What do you mean?" Leonard asked.

 _"Spock and Jim are by your bed, as are the others. They are unaware that I am here."_ Xon said.

A tear came down Leonard's cheek.

"I miss you, Xon."

_"So do I."_

"Platonic my ass."

Xon smiled.

 _"My knowledge is in the ancient hall of thought, my personality, my soul, and my life. But the part that could never be removed?"_ Xon was down to the doctor's level. _"The one who helped me define my humanity,captain. My humanity is connected with your humanity. I rather it die with you than die with me."_

Leonard was touched.

"Will I see you again?" Leonard asked.

 _"Negative. But I will always be there, and so will they."_ Xon said.

"I have to wake up, now, don't I?" Leonard said.

 _"Roddenberry will die next month."_ Xon said.

"Thanks for the heads up." Leonard said.

 _"Transport malfunction. Paying his respects for the dead aboard the_ Constantine _."_ Xon added.

"Goodbye, old friend." Leonard said.

 _"Live long and prosper, old friend."_ Xon said.

Leonard gasped for breath waking up on the biobed feeling a hand place itself on his chest.

"Easy there, admiral," Came a woman's voice. "You are reacting from a poisonous reaction to Trekloride that is native to Treklore."

Leonard's eyes adjusted to the scenery to see a gentler colored med bay. Alongside was Spick, Malice, and Roddenberry. He could not tell if Spick was any any at all concerned but Roddenberry was the one most of all concerned. Malice shared a nod with the female doctor. Leonard could feel a sting from his shoulder. Someone had obviously injected him with something earlier. He recalled shifting pass some ensigns and feeling a shiver carry through his shoulder upon accidentally touching one of them. Or someone purposely injected him.

"So what about sittin' in the captains chair one last time?" Leonard asked.

Roddenberry beamed, looking over toward Malice.

"I told you so." Roddenberry said.

Malice had a curt nod.

"If you feel ready to." Malice said.

"If I feel ready to?" Leonard said. "You don't know one thin' about Georgian's!"

Leonard got off the biobed as his usual grumpy self.

* * *

 He was the admiral of Star Fleet Medical,he switched branches shortly after the last member to his first command had died. Fortunetly that was probably the best decision he made that day. Because five months later there was reports of a colony in need of a medical attention and all the best ships were currently too far away. They had two medical starships close, one of which he was inspecting, and so Leonard McCoy took the two starships to that colony. Saving lives was his passion. It took the two small starships two weeks to help the colony get back on its feet.

Decades passed.

Leonard watched his second command die due to Romulan fire.

Now, there was a _Enterprise D_ prepared to go on a continuing mission to explore space.

He sat in the shuttle craft being driven by his two descendants, both of them were McCoy's and scientists.

"Spock would be pleased that one of my own kin turned to science." The old man grumbled.

The shuttle craft landed into shuttle bay.

A golden tinted man with dark brown hair walked into shuttle bay. The door to the shuttle opened. Leonard refused any help to get up, he could get up on his own. He had seen his hair turn a complete shade of gray. His face became lined in wrinkles. He looked fragile to the human eye but he was nothing close to being fragile. He could easily take down a fully grown Romulan. He had gone back in time many times to save the planet. Some of them were accidents and at least a couple were intentional.

"Lieutenant Commander Data."  Data held his hand out, his voice monotonous but Leonard could have swore there was a look of honor in the man's eyes,

"Ah, the android," Leonard said. "Nice to meet you."

Leonard shook hands with the android.

"I have taken great interest in your adventures aboard the Enterprise." Data said.

"Missions, kid. They were missions." Leonard said.

"Indeed." Data said.

The two walked toward the doorway.

"First android to join Star Fleet and not get scrapped up into pieces," Leonard said. "That is impressive for someone like you."

"My classmates banded around me when a scientist wanted to take me apart and see how I operated," Data said. "To mass produce me."

"That would be my worse nightmare," Leonard said. "Emotionless androids doin' everythin'. No offense,  Vulcan's annoyin' and all but they have heart."

"Of course they have hearts," Data said. "Who would not have hearts?"

"That is not what I mean," Leonard said. "I meant . . . Oh never mind."

"I endeavor myself to learn the human behavior, human ways, and be human." Data said.

Leonard looked over in the direction of the android.

"You remind me of a Vulcan I knew." Leonard said.

"Captain Xon of New Vulcan," Data said. "He was interested in humanity."

"Yes, he was." Leonard asked.

"What was it like for him to discover his emotions?" Data asked.

"It was difficult at first," Leonard said. "Sometimes he got off the wrong foot. He was the finest officer I ever had under my command."

"He is a legendary figure for the battle of the _Bullethorn_." Data said.

"Battle of the _Bullethorn_? It wasn't a war, it was a fight, it should be referred to as the revenge of the _Enterprise_ ," Leonard said. "Many of my friends died that day. I should have been amon' them. But. . . Xon had a heart. He could not allow his best friend to die, nor his katra for that matter, but I think those who were still alive on that bridge enforced him to send me away. He traveled three galaxies for me! Three! It was thanks to him I got back home."

"Fascinating." Data said.

 Leonard nodded.

"Lon' as you treat this girl with respect, she will always get you home," Leonard said. "But I see it clear that it will become just as close as home as you can get."

"I will endeavor to ensure my duties to the ship will be effificent." Data said.

The two walked into the turbo lift where there was a strange man dressed in chain mail and in a knight outfit.

"Nice outfit." Leonard said.

"What are thee?" Came a familiar voice.

"NOT SHAKESPEARE!" Leonard shouted, as Data's head turned in the direction of the knight. "Get off this ship, what-ever-the-hell you--" The knight raised the helmet up. "TRELANE."

"He is not Trelane," Data said. "According to my calculations he should have curly hair and a eighteenth century attire."

"Hello, old friend, and I am Q!" Q said, with a grin on his face.

"Trelane. Get. your. butt. off." Leonard said.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, is that really how you treat someone who helped you out numerous times." Q said.

"I never forgave you for that." Leonard said, bitterly.

"Awww." Q whined.

"So you are the Q the captain is dealing with." Data said.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Data," Q shook the hand of the android, energetically. "Me and the old man have some bad blood."

"Bad history, damn it." Leonard said.

"I look forward to further conversations regarding humanity," Q said. "Fellow humanitarian student."

Q vanished in a white flash.

"Your  files never mentioned about meeting Trelane after the first encounter, Admiral McCoy." Data said.

"That is because they are all classified." Leonard grumbled.

The door opened to the medical section of the starship. The two walked down the hall until they came to sick bay doors (Star Fleet gave the name a chance a few decades ago thanks to Leonard and the insistence of several medical admirals on his side) that opened automatically. It was different, that Leonard could peg it as. Not as bright but duller and less colorful. A smile grew on the doctor's face as memories serving on the _Enterprise_ in his med bay came forth. Beverly Crusher was speaking to her son Wesley who seemed to be in a nurse uniform. Crusher turned her head away in the direction of the doctor.

"Hello,Doctor McCoy." Crusher said.

"Doctor Crusher," Leonard said. "Ensign Crusher, it is nice to see you two again."

"Nice to see you better than last time." Crusher said.

Wesley appeared to be confused.

"Do I know him?" Wesley asked.

"We met at the memorial of the original _Enterprise_." Leonard said. "Two weeks ago, in fact."

There was a look of realization on Wesley's face.

"OH!" Wesley said. "You were the one who was talking to James T. Kirk's monument."

Star Fleet had erected a monument of Spock and McCoy by the side of the captain against the doctor's better wishes.

"That I was," Leonard said. "And that answer to your question, yes kid, I was talkin' to ghosts." Leonard looked over in the direction of Crusher. "I would like you to give me the tour, it is your sick bay after all."

Crusher looked over in the direction of Data than gave her thanks for bringing him here and informed him that she would take him back to his shuttle.  Data left the room. Crusher gave Leonard a tour of the sick bay that connected to various other rooms such as the morgue, the icu, the room where most surgeries take place, and so on. Touring the facility made Leonard feel one hundred years younger. Jim would have liked to see the bridge. Spock would have be curious of the science stations. Scotty and Roddenberry would be insisting to go visit the engineering.

* * *

Leonard, later in his life, commissioned Geordi La Forge to make the fastest and stealth like Vulcan Vessel. The man would look at him confused, puzzled, because he wasn't a Vulcan. Leonard sighed, explaining Xon had taught him to fly a Vulcan craft many years ago. He promised the Romulans that he would save their sorry asses like he had tried before but this time no one will die.

Leonard was ready to embark on his last mission.

"Admiral."  Came a familiar female voice.

Leonard turned to see Spick.

"Jokes are logical." Spick said.

Leonard smiled.

"Logic is illogical." Leonard said.

Spick nodded.

"Indeed," Spick said. "Live and prosper, admiral."

"Live and prosper, Professor Spick. " Leonard said.

Spick had shyed away from her commanding duties during the passing decades and had picked up the title of Professor. Malice encouraged the Vulcan to follow her heart. Convincing her to do many things a  Vulcan would not do in her position do. True, other alien races brought out the emotions of Vulcans but none other like District Attorney Worf, Admiral Leonard McCoy, Admiral James T. Kirk. and Admiral Malice. 

"It was an honor to call you my friend." Leonard held his hand out.

"As do I." Spick shook his hand.

Leonard stopped the handshake then he headed up toward the ramp up into the starship that resembled a mushroom without any roots. It had the Star Fleet Hospital insignia written below _The Mushroom_. He pressed a button then looked over to see that Captain Data and Ambassador Picard were at the doorway. Leonard was assured that everything would be all right for them. Surely, it will. These were the fine officers who saved Star Fleet time and time again. He turned away then headed toward the cockpit as the door closed behind him.

The Mushroom lifted above the ground then zipped out of the shuttle bay.

The _Enterprise E_ was right behind him.

Leonard had insisted to Captain Nero take his family off planet, strongly insisted, to the point that he would not be there if he failed. Leonard saw the _Narada_ go off into warp mode leaving behind Romulus headed in the direction of a nearby planet for a well earned R and R. Leonard had a feeling that history would attempt to happen again. He ordered the Enterprise E be far away by the time he approached the rogue sun. The sun was getting brighter and brighter. Several Romulans (Actually a huge chunk of the population) had evacuated the planet shortly before the arrival in fear of getting annihilated and some preferred to die on their planet believing nothing would happen. Remes had been evacuated, as well, leaving the mining factories abandoned. There was a truce struck up a few years ago between Romulans and Earth over the death of Shizon, Jean-Luc Picard's clone.

"For you, old friends," Leonard said, picturing the bridge of the original _Enterprise_ before his eyes. "I will see you soon."

This time, in this suicide mission, the Romulans will not become a endangered species. But there was a large minery starship called The _Katava_ that was wary of the chance that it could spell the doom of their beloved home planet. Leonard had insisted them to leave as well with their beloved ones due to the chances being out of their favor.  But they pointed out that he was doing the mission against that chance. That quickly made him be a hypocrit. Damn logic. Damn bright Romulans. He had promised them that he would save their planet. A promise that Spock Prime must have made to Nero. Well aware that he will fail.

Leonard had gone to Vulcan last week.

Got the sliver of Xon out of his skull.

He was lucky, the healer said, that it hadn't touched his soul. Or else they would have been T'hy'la's. Meant to be with one another.

Leonard flew near to the sun then ejected out the piece of red matter and flew away. But suddenly the sun expanded and sucked in Romulus. Then the _Katava_ was taken in as it fired back at The Mushroom injuring one of the perpellers. Then it became a wormhole of the sorts dragging in the _Mushroom_. Leonard braced himself, expecting for death to come in and take him, except he was thrown into a tunnel of what he could understand. It was big enough for a fleet of starships to take passage in. Compared to most this starship was small. Leonard saw the Narada firing after a Jellyfish like starship. Five shots later the Jellyfish broke apart sending a small pod out through the exit beyond the Narada's vision.

That was _a_ Spock Prime that had managed to escape, well, much as Leonard figured. Leonard looked over to see there in the walls were various models of starships with the name USS Enterprise. They all had different designs all in a single filed line prepared for battle with each of their own battle scars. Some of them had a saucer section shaped like a cassette, one of them had a square saucer section, and different takes on the saucer section. He saw one that stood out from across. A older simpler model of the Enterprise. Then it became bright as Leonard shielded his eyes. The starship flew in circles until it came to a steady landing.

"Stardate!" Leonard shouted.

"2233.04" The computer replied.

Leonard saw the approaching Kelvin.

"Computer, hail them!" Leonard requested.

On the screen appeared a bald man who reminded Leonard of The Rock from the 21st century.

"This is Captian Richard Robau, who is this?" Robau asked.

"This is Admiral Leonard  H. McCoy from the future, 2387, Earth's future," Leonard said. "Commander George Kirk," A man with blue eyes and blonde hair appeared on the screen. "Your son. James T. Kirk. I knew him,you will be a brilliant father," Now here he is lying about somethin' that hasn't happened. But it had to be done. "I served on the _USS Enterprise_ with him as Chief Medical Officer. I am here to prevent a bad future from happenin'. Captain Richard, by orders of Star Fleet, you are to turn around and get the hell out of here. There is a approachin' dangerous vessel belongin' to a Romulan Miner named Kyeren. He is my problem. Just sit back and wait until you see a explosion. We do not have much time.  Please."

"James. . . T. . Kirk?" Was all he could say.

"He prefers to be called Jim, you have been warned." Leonard said.

"We will think about it." Robau said.

"Five minutes. Then . . . if you don't. James T. Kirk will not be the greatest man there ever was." Leonard said.

"Robau out." Robau said.

Leonard sighed, then he sent a file to the _Kelvin_. A huge one in fact to the starship. It was his story.  From beginning to end making sure to avoid all the nice little spoilers that lay ahead of the _Enterprise_ Crew. Describing what had happened. What lead him here. What brought him here. What shaped him into the man he is today. The day James T. Kirk had died. What favor he was doing them (He had written in this up in case this scenario happened, turned out, it did). Leonard left out the major details such as Khan and made up names in the place of them. There was truth to it, to what he had done and said.. Leonard noted that in the beginning. His mission. To save Star Fleet and Klingons from a generational war. 

"Computer, turn on all frequencies." Leonard said.

Might as well listen.

"Hello." Came a voice on the frequency.

"Oh, hello, Ambassador Spock." Leonard said.

"How do you know who I am?" Spock Prime asked.

"We met in a Alternate Timeline." Leonard said.

"Hm, fascinating."  Spock  Prime said.

"How lon' have you been here." Leonard said.

"Ten years, four months, three weeks, two days,thirty-two minutes, and three seconds." Spock Prime said.

"My name is Leonard H. McCoy." Leonard said.

There was silence on the other end.

"I am intendin' to die, today, if you rather watch or not join the party--" Leonard said.

"I would like to." Spock Prime said.

"Then show yourself." Leonard said.

"Negative." Spock Prime said.

"Why?" Leonard asked.

"Our cover will be blown." Spock Prime asked. 

Leonard sighed.

"Is Jim alive in your timeline?" Leonard asked.

Leonard could picture the Vulcan raising an eyebrow at the question.

"Yes." Spock Prime said.

There was a cry of delight from Leonard's end.

"How close are you to gettin' home?" Leonard asked.

"Ninety-nine point nine percent." Spock Prime said.

"How old are you?" Leonard asked.

"One hundred sixty-eight." Spock Prime said.

"Impressive."  Leonard said.

"Indeed." Spock Prime said.

The Kelvin turned around.

"Do you have red matter inside?" Spock Prime asked.

"Yes. How old is Jim?" Leonard asked.

"One hundred. He looks sixty." Spock Prime said.

"Tell him a Bones said hello." Leonard said.

"We miss you." Spock Prime said.

 For the first time in years, Leonard didn't feel so old or tired.

"Computer, turn off frequencies," Leonard said, as the anomaly appeared. "Prepare for crash course."

"Preparing." The computer said.

Leonard sat there, his hands around the bars, and his eyes full of intent.

"HAIL THE NARADA." Leonard shouted.

"This is Captain Nero--" Nero was caught off by the doctor.

"You are goin' down with me!" Leonard interrupted him. "This is my gift to you and the Vulcans."

Nero's eyes became full of realization as he realized who he was speaking to.

"You are dead." Nero said.

"Yes, so are you," Leonard said. "McCoy out."

Leonard embraced death as the ship crashed against the bridge igniting the red matter. Debris flew in all directions as the ship was destroyed opening a large hole. A Bird of Prey decloaked then sent in a shuttle pod. But before crash had began, Leonard could feel someone take his hand. Everything turned to a white flash. His hand had wrapped itself around someone's forearm.

Leonard opened his eyes to see Jim.

"I am not busy, Jim." Leonard said.

"Glad you could make it," Jim said, slapping the back of Leonard. "We are ready to cross over!"

Leonard grabbed the man into a hug.

"My life was hell without you," Leonard said, in between his tears. "It's you. It's always been you. You are my infant, my ingeniousness selfess bastard." There was a familiar pair of footsteps headed their way. "Most of the things I did were done out of 'what would Jim do'."

The two ended their hug.

"Captain, Doctor," There was  Spock's voice.  They turned in his direction. The Vulcan had a curt nod. "Are we ready to cross over?"

"On the bridge, yes!" Jim said. "Guess what I told the higher ups?"

"He would not go without you." Spock said. 

"Together, or not at all!" Jim said.

"Mr Scott and Miss Uhura have been handling the Enterprise while we waited for you, including Mr Chekov and Mr Sulu." Spock was brought into the tearful hug by the happy-yet-crying Leonard. "Logically, you have never moved on our deaths due to regret and guilt. Partially why we stayed behind."

Spock said this as Leonard spelled his heart out, saying incoherent things. What he was saying was untranslateable. Thankfully, since he was a ghost,Spock's uniform did not get wet. Jim tore Leonard off the Vulcan.

"Come on, let's go to the bridge," Jim said. "Chapel and M'Benga have been waiting for you."

The three walked through a turbo lift into the bridge. When the door had opened Leonard could see that everyone was young again. Tears swelled up in the corners of the man's eyes as he walked off. The first person he hugged was Chapel, then M'Benga after slapping his shoulder making a comment about the two flirting in his sick bay, then Scotty, and then Uhura. Including Chekov and Sulu. Keenser was sitting on a stool, dangling his legs,just sitting there feeling delight coming inside.

Chekov went to his station.

Uhura sat down at hers.

"I am getting the question, captain." Uhura said, with one hand on the device in her ear.

"Tell them, we are ready." Jim said, as he sat down to his chair.

"There are levels suitable for a landing party on the other side." Spock said.

"You have been waitin' to give that report for the past hundred years, haven't you?" Leonard asked.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

"I do not see anything in our way, keptain." Chekov reported.

"The engine's ready." Scotty said.

"We are ready for whatever crossing over has to throw at us." Leonard said.

"Until we meet in the next life,captain." M'Benga said.

"Perhaps Spock and I could be a thing in the next life." Chapel said.

Jim laughed.

"Mr Sulu,cross us over!" Jim ordered. 

"Aye, captain." Sulu said, pulling the level forwards.

There was a bright light from the view screen replacing the outerspace scenery. Everyone was where they wanted to be. To be taken from this life into the next. This was the only way they would bow out. The light grew brighter. Jim had his usual cocky-as-hell-grin on his face. Spock looked intrigued at the light that enveloped the room. Leonard looked truly happy, and, at peace. Chekov and Sulu were content as the light took them over. Chapel and M'Benga were not shielding their eyes but embracing the next step. Scotty was sitting by his friend Keenser as the light shined in their way. Uhura had a look of anticipation.

The light enveloped the room taking them all inside.

* * *

James Kirk never had blue eyes. 

Leonard McCoy never had hazel eyes.

"I met your father, Mr Spock," Jim reminded the stoic Vulcan beside him. "Time you met mine."

"It is only  a visit." McCoy said.

"It is not my place to be in your family affairs." Spock said.

McCoy laughed.

"You hear what is comin' out of your mouth?" McCoy asked.  "This man isn't here for family issues or daddy issues for that matter."

"I have no father issues if that is what you are thinking, Mr Spock." Jim said.

On the pad appeared George Kirk along with Admiral Cheri. Spock raised an eyebrow and Jim appeared to be surprised at this. George approached the doctor with a smile.

"Doctor McCoy," George said. "I would like to thank you for saving my life."

"I never did that." McCoy said.

"Sir, we would prefer if you would see this in the debriefing room including you, Captain Kirk," Cheri said. "We have a story you will want to hear. The three of you. And a recording of Admiral McCoy that you must see first."

"Ad. . . admiral. . . . admiral." McCoy was stunned.

"Let's go, Gentlemen." Jim said.

They left McCoy standing there stunned, except for Spock who tapped on his shoulder.

"What the hell happened?" McCoy said.

"I would like to know." Spock said.

"I swear if it was some time travel stunt . . . I am not doin' that again!" McCoy said.

"I am sure of it." Spock said, as they walked toward the doors together.

The doors closed behind the duo.

_The End._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, Neferit, for writing Simple Feeling. This has been a fun storyline to write about and I am happy that I was the one to explore this one idea that you set out into your one shot. I liked that I was able to write Xon, a character similar to Data/Spock, and develop a another unexpected extended family for Bones that he can't quite walk away from (unexpected because I didn't expect them to stick around either until I wrote the mention of them agreeing with Xon) with his personal mission and all. I had a lot of fun writing The Neferit Duology and The Neferit II Duology. If I post it on Quotev it will be along the lines of The Two Neferit's. Four chapters entailing both universes. I don't know about uploading it to Wattpad but I can try one of these days.
> 
> Writing in both universes: I did have my "Which Meadow served under McCoy and Spock? Which universe did Bajora get discovered by Spock and McCoy? Which universe insert something relevant to the plot." moments. In turn I would use the stories part of the storyline as a guide. In my mind there were two universes: Spones epic friendship and Spirk epic love. Just so I wouldn't confuse myself writing this storyline. I had to make differences between the universes which I did honestly like about. Truth is I had fun. A lot of fun. The key to writing both of these storylines was focusing on the major front runners in the first installments, hit major events to both or one characters, then have glimpses into their friends lives in the second installment which worked. 
> 
> I am glad that you wrote Simple Feeling. I am glad you told me to go write that idea and let it be enjoyed by hundreds of people. I am keeping my hopes low for this story so I won't get big headed. Yes, that is my way to keep myself level headed. I am sincerely happy that I was able to write a story like this that has not been attempted, at least I think it hasn't been attempted but it has been by me. I hope you continue to write amazing stories and inspire more people like me to write stories. You are a amazing, brilliant writer. Writing the results of Jim's departure and Spock's jerk move was FUN! I trust I have my point across. 
> 
> I like exploring alternate universes, go figure. 
> 
> Thank you, Neferit.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Yes, this is the conclusion of the long epic Neferit II duology storyline.


End file.
